Kiba and Hinata's Parent Trap
by Butterkup
Summary: It's been almost 15 years sense Hinata Hyuga and Kiba Inuzuka have seen each other, each taking one daughter. Later on their daughters meet up at camp. They switch places and well everything just seems to go a bit crazy. Anyway you know the story. Hope you enjoy. KibaHina


Kiba and Hinata's Parent Trap

14 years ago.

Everyone in Konoha could here the fight going on between Kiba and Hinata at there beloved home, about who knows what. They had been married for about a year now and were blessed with two beautiful twin girls.

_"This is ridiculous! God Hinata, I just don't under- hey! What are you doing?!"_

Hinata stormed into their shared room, grabbing one of many suitcases, she began stuffing everything she had into it.

"_I'm packing. I've had enough and I don't want to hear anymore of this."_

_"Hinata stop! Look will you just… OUCH!"_

Hinata said nothing at Kiba's pained call, and just continued to pack. Once she was done she made her way to the crib that held both girls, reaching into the crib, Kiba quickly grabbed her hand.

_"You are not taking them both away from me!"_

Snatching her hand back, she glared at the man she thought she loved.

_"Fine then, I'll take one and you can take the other. Now let go of me! I don't ever want to see you again!"_

"_Well here's a newsflash for ya! Neither do I!"_

Giving one last glare to her once beloved house, Hinata carefully picked up one of the twins, grabbed her suitcases and stormed out of the house, un-shed tears gathering in her eyes.

Unfortunately, Kiba was too dumbfounded, to even go after her, only snapping out of his raged trace at the screaming call of his beloved daughter, who was laying in her crib crying alone.

_"Shh…it's okay…I'm right here…Maya"_

Meanwhile Hinata continued her journey down the street, comforting her own crying daughter.

_"It's alright, M-mommy's here Atula…"_

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The buses heading for Camp Wavus was filled with girls, newbies and the old ones alike, passed through the freshly painted wooden gates. The view of beautiful camp's scenery a magnificent lake sparkles in the distance with blue canoes lined up on its shores. There was even a big training ground for practice hand to hand combat or just with weapons. When the buses parked all of the girls spilled out chattering with their new friends and going to and fro trying to look for their duffel bags or their bunkers.

Mrs. Yuhi the owner of the camp, was wearing black caprices, with a red tank top and white fingerless gloves. She was talking through a bullhorn with her long black hair getting in her face. Next to her was her husband and partner Asuma Sarutobi,

"Good morning, ladies and welcome, to Camp Wavus. I'm Kurenai Yuhi and this is my husband Asuma Sarutobi, and we're going to be your instructors for the rest of the summer... Now, please find your duffels as quickly as possible, we've got a big, big day ahead of us." she handed over to Asuma, who, started yelling out bunk assignments.

Another counselor stood near the bus' trunks and caught the blue duffel thrown to her. She walked towards a small heap of duffels and threw the blue duffel on top of it. Just then, a girl jumped up with a smile as she saw her duffel. The girl had soft brown almost black hair hair that went just above her shoulders, and pale pearlish lavender eyes behind her sunglasses. She wore a black tank top with a grey unzipped sweatshirt over it, a pair of black jeans, with black combat boots, her headband wrapped around her forehead. In her ears were what looked to be two fang shaped earrings

"Alright! I found my duffel!" she exclaimed excitedly and put one hand out to grab her duffel when about ten more landed above it rendering it impossible to get out.

"Now the question is… how do I get it out?" she asked herself walking around the heap trying to look for a strap that would enable her to grab her duffel putting her shades on the top of her head. She saw it and heaved and pulled but it just wouldn't budge.

"Alright, I can do it," she cheered herself and pulled continuously, the duffel won't budge.

"Okay, no I can't," she said in a cheery voice that veiled the sarcasm.

"Hey Maya... What are you doing? " asked a knowing voice on her right and Maya glanced at the speaker. Another girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail with a piece of hair in front of her right crystal blue eyes walked up next to her, carrying her duffel bag on her shoulder.

"Hey, Kimi." She said still pulling at her duffel.

"I thought I told you to grab your bag before the apes tossed it in the heap," the girl said. Kimiko Uchiha was her name, the daughter of Sasuke Uchiha and Ino Yamanaka. Kimi had long, onyx colored hair, in a high-ponytail with bangs covering the right side of her face and pale navy eyes. For clothes she wore a simple off the shoulder purple and dark blue tube top that revealed her stomach, with a matching purple and dark blue skirt, and purple and white elbow warmers. White bandages covered the top of her legs with her head band wrapped around her waist like a belt. "Need some help."

"Thanks, it's the big blue one." Maya said and the two pulled and pulled, but once again, it wouldn't budge. Sighing, the two slumped their shoulders, when luckily a tall girl that looked very familiar , arrived and easily pulled her duffel from the center of the pile.

"Hey Temera!" she called out and the girl looked around and noticed the two; she went over to them. Temera Nara was the daughter of Shikamaru and Temari. Temera had straight, shoulder-length blonde hair and turquoise eyes. She wore a pair of fishnet shorts under a black skirt, with a light purple tank top, over a short sleeved fishnet top, A redish purple sash was around her waist, and black elbow length fingerless gloves covered her arms, her head band around her neck, a simple pair of silver hoop earrings were in her ears.

Maya pointed out her duffel. "Could you give me a hand? It's the blue one buried way in there," Temera nodded and dropped her duffel before, yanking Maya's duffel out of the pile.

"Maya Inuzuka, Temera Nara, and Kimiko Uchiha?" announced Asuma, into the bullhorn. Maya stood on a few duffels and waved her hand,

"Right here!" she called out getting the counselor's attention.

"Sand bunk eleven!" he called out and the three girls high-fived and started towards their bunkers, smiles grazing each of their lips.

As the Girls walk off, Three new people appeared in a flash of smoke. Two adults step out of the smoke first, one was a tall man with long chocolate brown hair he was dressed casual in a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Next to him was a woman, not to much shorter, She also had deep chocolate brown hair, in a tight bun at the back of her head, she wore blue capries with a pink Chinese style top.

The man held out his hand for the other occupant of the smoke. A young girl stepped out, taking in the new environment with interest.

"Okay Atula, here we are, Camp Wavus For Girls." The older woman said happily as she followed her niece to a cemented area.

"W-well it's r-rather picturesque, d-don't y-you think?" she asked shyly. Atula had long dark brown, almost black hair and pale pearlish lavender eyes. She wore a light purple slim-fit off the shoulder top with a white tank-top underneath and black sparkly jeans. On her feet were black combat boots, and on her hands were thin silver bangles her head band resting around her neck.

"Not exactly the word I would use. Right, anyway let's review your mother's list, you know the drill." Neji said as he took out a notebook and pen from his pocket and looked at the list carefully while his niece and wife watched him amused.

"Vitamins?" he asked.

"C-check," she answered.

"Minerals?"

"Check,"

"Daily intake of fruits and vegetables?"

"C-check, check,"

Neji glanced at his niece with a raised eyebrow and she giggled.

"C-check for fruits, a-and check for v-vegetables," she explained with a smile, "Please continue," she prompted him.

"Sunblock, lip balm, insect repellant, stationary, stamps, photograph of your mother, cousin, uncle and..." he enumerated.

"And of course your loving Aunt, me!" Tenten interrupted " Anyway, I think she's good Neji," She laughed walking over to Atula and whispering something in her ear.

The two giggled a bit as Neji lined up four pieces of identical luggage beside the two.

"Oh I almost forgot! Here's a little something from Neji, he didn't want to give them to you though so, Shh." Tenten giggled "Maybe you'll finally find someone here who can actually beat you a game of poker," she said mischievously looking around as if trying to see if anyone dared.

"T-thanks for bringing me Neji, Tenten, I-I'll miss y-you" She stuttered out. Tenten's face suddenly became scrunched as she tried to fight back tears, but before she could do anything Neji had already picked Atula up and hugged her tightly,

"Just remember, if you change your mind and want us to pick you up at the end of camp, We're only a phone-call away," he assured her.

"I-I'll be fine. S-see you in eight weeks," she stuttered, with a smile, looking around for her friends that should have already been there.

"Missing you already," Tenten told her and stuck out her hand. Atula gladly took it and shook it vigorously and the two started their secret handshake with butt bumps and shimmying. When it was over, the two really shook hands and Neji gave a kiss to his niece's forehead.

"Have fun Atula," Tenten yelled grabbing Neji's hand as they both wave goodbye before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"Atula Hyuga?" Asuma yelled over to her

"Y-yes?"

"Your in Leaf cabin six with Shina Hatake and Tokiko Akimichi," He told her before sneezing very loudly

"A-are you all r-right?" Atula stutters out looking concerned

"Oh sure. Just one of the hazards of camp life. You have a little snooze... you'll be fine." He assured her with a smile "So let's get this show on the road."

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

"I-is this one mine Tokiko?"

"Sure is." Tokiko said to her childhood friend. Tokiko was the daughter of Choji Akimichi, She had long brown hair, and lightly tanned skin, two small crescent shaped marks on her cheeks. She wore a grey and blue tank top, with matching grey armbands, a long white scarf laid lazily around her shoulders, and a pair of black capries, her headband wrapped around, just under her chest.

"T-thanks Tokiko" Atula said with a small shy smile.

"So Who wants to go get something to eat." Shina asked looking up from the book she was reading. She was the daughter of Kakashi Hatake and Anko Mitarashi She had snow white hair styled in a short, spiky, fanned-ponytail, dark brown eyes and a thin black mask that covered both her nose and mouth. She wore a brown tank top and black pants with a brown mini skirt over it, her head band around her forehead.

"That sounds g-good" Atula agreed.

"Yeah, lets go!" Tokiko said walking out the door.

The mess hall was filled with chatter, laughing and a bit of shouting, They saw two lines of girls approach the central buffet table. The hall was decorated with pictures of past campers, all smiling and happy. Trophies on shelves also lined the wall along with the camp flag.

In one line of the buffet, there was Maya, in the other line there was Atula. Both Atula and Maya were too busy talking to their friends to notice each other.

As Atula reached the front of the line and approached the buffet table, Maya did the same. For a split second, they stood directly next to each other. Just as they were about to turn around and see each other, Kurenai stepped between them with a small plate of food.

"Excuse me, girls... I've just got to have a scoop of those gorgeous blueberries. Care for some?" she asked with a scoop of blueberries ready to fill Maya's bowl.

"Oh, no thanks, I can't, I'm allergic." she answered politely then took her tray and walked off to find a table. Kurenai turned to her right and indicated the same scoop to Atula.

"How about you dear, blueberries?" she asked kindly.

"O-oh I'm sorry, I wish I-I could but I'm a-allergic," Atula said, apologetically and Kurenai just nodded her head.

"Oh allergic right." She paused. "You just told me that!" Kurenai said and when she turned to look at Atula, confused she looked at the spot where Maya was before.

"How'd you get over there...?" she turned back and Atula who was now no where to be found. "Now where did she go?" was all the counselor could mutter.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was officially the first day of camp and Maya Inuzuka's first activity of the day was to go fencing. She excitedly put on her nylon jacket which was a cool blue in front, grabbed her foil and wire-mesh mask and went off to the area for fencing. Her first opponent was a girl from the Sound Village, the two fought for a bit before Maya knocking her sword out of her hand and pinning her against the wall. The other campers applauded and cheered.

"Excellent, girls," Kurenai exclaimed. She raised Maya's arm. "The winner and still undefeated champ, Maya Inuzuka!"

Maya took a bow and moved off with Kimi, and Temera. As she did Atula, Tokiko, and Shina, passed by in time to hear Kurenai say, "Do we have any challengers?"

The field stayed quiet.

"Oh c'mon, ladies, let's not be damsels in distress here!" Kurenai cajoled and wrote something on her clipboard.

Tokiko got a big smile "Yeah, we got a girl that can challenge here!" Tokiko yelled Pointing to a blushing Atula.

Shina pushed a mask is Atula's hands. "Yeah. She'll take a whack at it!"

Atula looked at the mask "S-sure I'll d-do it." She snapped on a vest, flipped the training sword into the air and caught it, then nodded to Kurenai. Kurenai blew her whistle signaling to start.

"Ok then, looks like we got ourselves a challenger!" She said and looked at her watch as both girls got ready. Maya was giving high-fives to the other girls while Atula was putting on her nylon jacket which was white in front.

The two finally faced each other but their faces were hidden beneath wire-mesh masks. They walked towards each other and crossed their foils and going around until the other reached the spot where her opponent stood before.

"Ready?" Kurenai asked Maya, who swished her foil once before replying, "Ready," and Atula swished hers twice before also replying, "All set."

"En garde," said Kurenai and the two raised their foils.

"Fence!"

The fencing began and it was a heated battle between the two girls. Atula moved forward prompting Maya to move farther and farther back until the two weren't on the fencing area anymore. Maya turned back and sprinted towards a tree while Atula was hot behind her; but instead of going further, she kicked the trunk which enabled her to face her opponent and Maya tried to defeat Atula by swishing her foil towards her torso but her opponent dodged it quickly, and so was the blow aimed for her head by ducking.

Atula jumped and continued attacking Maya while the latter kept backing away. The two passed by a group of girls who squealed and giggled as they avoided the two fencers. Maya was able to push Atula into a wooden pole but she again dodged the foil coming towards her torso. The two continued fencing and Atula jumped over a haystack and while Maya jumped, she propped herself on her elbow and crossed one foot behind her as she lazily clashed foils with her opponent, even managing a bored yawn.

This small act of complacency led Maya to disarm Atula but the girl was quick on her feet climbing the stack to catch her falling foil and jumped the attempts of Maya at her feet. "Nice catch, thanks," she muttered to herself when she caught her foil and continued fencing. The haystack was beside a cabin and she was on the porch of it as Maya was down below and the two fenced until Maya was able to climb the three steps and now stood on the same ground level as Atula. She continued swishing her foil and it was Atula's turn to back away, balancing herself on a long bench giving her a higher leverage. The two spun and Maya backed straight over the railing, surprising her and she raised her arms which left her open.

Atula put her foot down and was able to perform a perfect balustrade. As the button at the end of her foil made contact with Maya's nylon jacket, the latter lost her balance and fell back into the pool, landing with a huge splash. The campers exploded with laughter.

"O-oh n-no I a-am so sorry I-I didn't mean to, l-let me help." Atula reached out to help Maya.

"No let me help you" Maya grabbed Atula's hand and yanked her into the water. The campers cracked up as the two girls sat soaking, side-by-side. They climb out together rather angrily

"What did you do that for?" she snapped stutter gone.

"Me!? You're the one who pushed me in!" Maya retorted as the two started to get up.

"I-I did not!" Atula defended herself.

"Ok, that was quite a show!" Kurenai said, amusement in her voice, as she approached the two. "Looks like we got ourselves a new camp champ. Miss. Atula Hyuga!" she announced happily as the two girls tore off their masks. Atula tossed her long hair around while Maya shook her short hair dry, and stubbornly stood back and back.

"Now c'mon girls, shake hands," she coaxed but the two stubbornly refused to face each other.

Neither girl turned around.

"Girls!"

Atula and Maya were both shocked to see a reflection of the other and while Maya gasped audibly, Atula did with some discretion. Finally, Maya stuck out her hand and when Atula stuck out hers, the two gasped at the sudden jolt they felt when they held hands. Maya let go first and tried to act nonchalant. The crowd dispersed but the twins' friends stood by their sides.

"What's everyone staring at?" Maya asked acting like nothing happened.

"Don't you see it?" Tokiko asked looking between them.

"See what?"

"The resemblance between you two."

"Resemblance… between her and me?" Maya said with a smirk pointing at herself then at Atula. "Let me see, turn sideways," she said mischievously; it took Atula a minute but she did.

"Now the other way." Maya continued while Atula exasperatedly obeyed. "Well, your eyes are closer together than mine. Your ears stick out, and that nose…well, don't worry, those things can be fixed."she enumerated while Temera and Kimi giggled.

"Want me to deck her for you?" Shina asked her with her fists raised ready for a fight.

"Hold on, I'm not quite finished yet," said Maya looking coolly at Shina then to Atula. "You wanna know the real difference between us?"

"Let me see… maybe that I know how to fence, and you don't; or… maybe it's that I have class and you don't. Take your pick." Atula retorted in a dignified manner, riling Maya.

"Why I oughta…" she said and took a menacing step towards Atula.

"Okay, ladies… it's time to break up this little love fest!" Kurenai stood between the girls holding out her arms to prevent further damage. "Atula…Maya…" She pointed to Maya when she said Atula, and to Atula when she said Maya. "I mean, Maya…Atula…" She corrected her mistakes.

The lunch bell rang again. Kimi and Temera pulled Maya away, as Tokiko and Shina pulled Atula in the other direction.

"That girl is a major loser." Kimi complained looking back at Atula

"Yeah, what a drag," Temera said angrily to Maya.

"D-do we really look as much alike as I t-think we do?" Atula asked her friend.

"It's just a weird freak of nature," Tokiko slapped Atula's on the back.

"Please accept my condolences." Shina said taking out a book.

Atula looked back at Maya, who was sneaking a look back at her. They both quickly turned away.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was the night after the eventful first day and a crowd of girls were gathered at Leaf cabin six. In the middle of the bunker were two girls, each holding five cards a small table in between them atop of it lying bills and other paraphernalia used for betting. Suddenly, Atula put down her set with a solemn expression.

"S-sorry, but it l-looks like, I win a-again." Atula spread out a full house. The others groaned and tossed in their hands. "S-so... no other takers?, " she asked looking around the room. The other girls didn't budge and it seemed like the end of poker night when a crisp new five-dollar bill flew onto the Japanese-style table.

"I'll take a whack at it."

The crowd of girls parted to make way for Maya who was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, swinging a cloth sack filled with coins, judging by the sound it made when she caught it with her other hand and swung it again. Upturning her sack, Maya let the rest of her money spill on the bed then sat down and put the shades atop her head. Atula expertly shuffled the cards and looked coolly at Maya.

"A-alright then, t-take a s-seat, Inuzuka," she said eyebrow raised. Maya sat down on the stool and put both hands on the table.

"Deal me in,"

Atula distributed the cards while Maya looked at her coolly and when she received her set, looked over at the girl next to her and smiled. The game became much more intense, just like the duel fought earlier and the crowd watched as the pot became filled with more coins, bill and other paraphernalia. It was nearing the end of the game and Maya once again gave Atula that mischievous look of hers and tossed in her bet. "Three bucks."

"Alright Hyuga, Tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna make you a little deal... loser has to jump into the lake after the game," she said and her opponent smiled.

"I bet she can do it" Tokiko yelled from behind.

"Then Make it interesting! The loser has to do it. Completely naked." Kimi yelled behind Maya, the crowd gasped in delight.

There was a small twinkle in her large white eyes as she looked over her opponent, before slowly laying down five cards from the Ace of Diamonds to the Five of Diamonds.

"Oh, you are good Hyuga" Maya said frowning albeit impressed, "But – just not good enough; In your honor... a royal flush." Maya smirked with a shake of her head as she revealed her own set of cards with the King, Queen, Jack, Ten and Ace of Clubs. That wiped off the smile from Atula's face as the crowd wowed and Maya gathered her winnings.

Atula Hyuga walked towards the end of the dock, completely naked, in the chilly night air as the other girls and Maya watched her holding lighted candles. They were giggling madly and Maya watched with a content smile as Atula turned around, gracefully slicing through the water in a perfect dive into the cold black lake.

"Quick, grab her clothes!" Maya exclaimed after the splash and the other girls hurriedly grabbed the neatly folded, jacket, shirt and jeans leaving only Atula's sandals.

When she surfaced from the water, all Atula saw were the retreating backs of the other girls. She gasped and swam towards the shore, shivering from the chilly air, she made it to her remaining article of clothing: her sandals.

Atula glared "Fine, if that's the way you want it; let the games begin…Inuzuka…let the games begin…"

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The next Maya, Temera and Kimi trudged towards their bunkers, Maya piggy backing on Temera's back. They were hot, sweaty and tired after a tough hand-to-hand combat practice.

"I swear I could here your evil clone sneezing, all the way across the mess hall this morning." Kimi joked and the tree giggled again.

"I am so tired. I swear I am crawling back into bed and sleeping in until lunch." Maya said with a yawn. Temera suddenly put her down while she looked towards their bunker with a horrified expression.

"That doesn't seem like a possibility," she said still looking up. Maya gave her an unbelieving look, "Why not?" she asked.

"That's 'why not.'" Kimi said pointing to their Cabin.

Maya stopped in her tracks, her eyes rising in surprise. On top of the roofs perched three beds and the three trunks of the girls.

"No way…"

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

That night, three girls in black clutching bulging sacks made their way towards leaf cabin six. They stifled their giggles and whispering as they set off to work.

They poured oil on the floor, before taking a ball of twine and winding it around a couple bedpost then zigzagged across the room. They also poured honey over one of the girl's body, sprayed whip cream on the head of another and prepared a big pail of chocolate syrup. When their work was done and their sacks were empty, they crept away as quietly as they came.

It was morning once again and the bugle call sounded which started off the day. The room looked like one giant spider web. Mazes of string were everywhere. Atula was the first one to wake up and she was in mid-stretch when she opened her eyes and saw the web of strings around the bunker. Atula stepped out of bed and right on the oil and her face grimaced in disgust and she started to scream…

The sound of Tokiko's scream echoed through the room, She was covered in whip cream, from head to toe, while Shina was practically drenched in honey. Atula tried to move forward but her ankles hit one of the strings setting in motion a boobie trap where a set of water-filled balloons fell towards her. She dodged the four small water balloons and looked satisfied with herself.

"Ha, she didn't get me," she said with a smile and then looked up in time to see a really huge water balloon falling towards her. She screamed and covered her head with her hands as the balloon exploded on her head and dousing her.

"That girl is without a doubt, the lowest most awful creature that ever walked the planet!" Atula exclaimed angrily flourishing her arms dramatically.

Maya, Temera and Kimi were at the cabins window, thrilled with their achievement. "Thank you, thank you very much." Maya said impersonating Elvis while her friends giggled.

Just then, Kurenai and Asuma passed by the trio clipboards in hand."Morning, girls."

"Morning, Miss Kurenai!" They greeted back. After looking back into the other girls window, the three were hit with the realization of what just happened.

"Miss Kurenai?!" they exclaimed in unison and rushed off in the direction the camp counselor took.

"Leaf cabin six, Surprise inspection!" Kureani shouted as she neared the door to Leaf cabin six's room, "Asuma, why don't you do the honors?" Maya rushed to stop the counselor from going inside the cabin while her friends ran away from trouble. She positioned herself in front of the screen door leading to the Cabin.

"No, no, don't go in there!" she said in a pleading voice, positioning herself, arms spread, across the screen door while Atula put her ear next to the door and listened, wondering what Maya was up to. "One of the girls got sick last night and it's a big mess. Save yourself the aggravation. It's really disgusting."

"Well, if someone's sick, dear, then we must go in-" Asuma said insistently as he started to open the door, not realizing he was pulling on a string attached to a bucket that was about to tip right over his head. Maya's eyes shot up to the bucket, then back to , slamming it shut with her body.

"No, really, I insist. She's highly contagious." Maya pleaded and Atula rolled her eyes and walked towards the door, sliding open the wooden one behind the screen door.

"A-actually, we're all fine in here. Unless Maya Inuzuka k-knows something we don't know," Atula told them through the window. "Open the door and come on in, Mr. Asuma." Atula said politely and followed the string she noticed attached on their screen door towards the bucket of chocolate syrup.

With that, Asuma slid open the door, tipping the bucket, which was filled with chocolate Syrup. Asuma was instantly covered head-to-toe in chocolate. In an attempt to save her husband, Kurenai pushed him and took the place of being underneath the waterfall of chocolate. Kurenai screamed, slipping in the syrup, and tumbled to the ground, knocking Asuma into the oiled floor until the very end of the bunker where he hit some shelves and fell on down much to the aghast of everyone who witnessed it. Finally, Asuma was able to stand up with the help of a doll attached to a string which was attached to the knob of the ceiling fan. Pulling on it entailed the turning on of the fan which showered everyone in the room with white feathers, much to everyone's dismay.

"I told you it was a mess in here." Maya explained and Atula glared at her.

"She should know… she did it!" she cried angrily.

"You!" a chocolate and feather covered Kurenai pointing at Maya, "And you!" she yelled angrily also pointing at Atula,

"Pack your bags!"

A few moments later, Atula and Maya stood side-by-side as Kurenai stood in front of them, holding a towel, still wiping off chocolate. Asuma stood at her side, still drenched in chocolate.

"That little stunt was the most revolting prank I have ever seen and worst of all, coming from two sisters who should be setting an example for the entire…"

"W-we're not sisters, M-ma'am," Atula said.

Kurenai and Asuma turned, and looked at them.

"We've never even seen each other before," Maya added.

"That's impossible," Asuma said. Then he remembered Kiba's and Hinata's huge fight.

Atula bit her lip, while Maya sucked on her locket, nervously awaiting their fate.

"Fine then. Meet us here after lunch with your things"

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The couple led Atula and Maya away from their rooms and up a long winding hill on the training grounds. Maya balanced her duffel bag on her shoulder, meanwhile Atula had her arms full of luggage. The rest of the campers marched in a line behind them.

A grim expression was set on her features as they neared the lonely log cabin. Marching over a bridge and into the thick forest, everyone finally arrived after a very long walk. Asuma turned around and blew on her whistle, everybody stopped.

The couple caught their breath before tuning around. "Okay girls, the rest of you– back to activities," she announced and received cheers from the other campers as they hurriedly went back through the forest to resume whatever it was they were doing. However, Asuma and Kurenai led Atula and Maya into a bunk with just two cots and two trunks.

"You two," Kurenai said in an authoritative voice, leading them up to the cabin. Atula and Maya glared at each other before carrying their things into the cabin. Inside was rather simple, with only two cots and two trunks.

"We've got six weeks left at camp and you two are going to spend almost every glorious one of them together. You'll eat together, bunk together and do all your activities together. Either you'll find a way to get along or you'll punish yourselves better than I ever could," Kurenai told them turning to Asuma. "You'll thank us for this. You'll see,"

Atula and Maya stared at each other for a few seconds, all alone. Atula lifted her suitcases onto the bed and neatly started unpacking her things. While Maya, on the other hand, flipped open her trunk, unzipped her duffel and shook her things out like she was emptying a bag of potato chips into a bowl.

Night finally fell on the cabin and the twins lay on separate cots at opposite corners of the small room. The cabin had a wide open space and no division; the only one being for the bathroom. Maya held on to her stuffed puppy as she tried to get some sleep. Atula, however, was writing in her diary before turning in for the night.

Maya tossed and turned but the light was keeping her awake and she sat up angrily and flicked the switch. Sudden darkness filled the room and this irritated Atula who needed the light so she could write; she turned the light switch on in retaliation. Maya sat up, she was one hundred percent angry, sleep was just about to come to her and so she flicked on the switch again. Thus began the flicking argument they had that lasted throughout the night.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The next five days passed slowly, and the girls refused to speak to each other. Nothing. Nada. Zip. They had six weeks left and so far they had spend every single day of it with each other. They had to eat on one table that was separated from the rest and they had to do activities together too. Atula had a half mind to call her uncle but somehow didn't want him to know, most especially her mother that she got into trouble.

When one day, a heavy downpour occurred and the two were stuck in their cabin for the day. Maya had decided to spend the day pinning up postcards and photos above her cot, while Atula began playing with her Kunais and throwing stars, tossing them up into the air.

The two were peacefully ignoring each other when a sudden gust of wind blew the door open, sending Maya's stack of photos flying into the air, she gasped, jumping around to save them, as Atula rushed to the door and bolted it shut.

"Oh gosh, this stuck," she muttered but they finally got the window to close.

"Thanks." Maya muttered giving her a genuine smile, a first in days.

"You're welcome." Atula replied with a genuine smile of her own.

Maya kneeled and picked up her fallen pictures while Atula knelt with her and started helping her gather them. She noticed the shabby stuffed puppy beside the aluminum bucket she set-up to catch the rainwater leaking from the roof.

"Oh, here's you're…" she said awkwardly handing Taytay over to Maya. Taytay was a light brown and white stuffed Dog.

"Arigatou." Maya finished for her and the two smiled at each other while trying to collect the pictures.

"Any of your pictures, ruined?" Atula asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Only my beautiful Rai." Maya held out a torn photo of a young boy that looked around their age. His hair was a spiky disarray of crimson red locks with bangs falling carelessly over his brow. Black rings circled his large pale crystal blue orbs, he had a small silver ring in his left ear, and a small smile on his face. he looked really cute.

"Oh, your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, right," Maya said sarcastically. "he'd never like me that way, were just friends."

"So how far away is your house anyway?" Atula asked with a small smile

"Well from here it's 3000 miles," Atula's eyes widened in surprise, "But sometimes it seems much farther. How far away is your home?"

"My house is actually in the Hidden Leaf village not too far from here. I've got a picture, see," Atula said, grabbing one of the pictures she had above her own be, and showing Maya a photo of Konoha.

"Wow. It's beautiful." Maya was awed at the sight of Konoha. "Actually, my dad is from Konoha, but he moved to Suna, when I was a couple months old, he never told me why though." Maya sighed

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Atula trailed off patting her on the back.

"It's no big deal, you didn't know." Maya smiled, giving her a hug

"So whats your home like?"

"Well, it's pretty huge, with a large field to play or run around in with our dogs, Akamaru, Crystal, and Hana. There's a hammock, this great big pool with a slide and diving board and we have this incredible porch that looks over the entire village…" she explained. "I have a picture too. you want to see"

Atula noticed a brunette man in a black jacket standing with his back to the picture and this got her curious. "Who's that?"

"Oh that – that's my Dad," she explained, "He didn't know I was taking a picture or he would've turned around."

"He's kinda like my best friend – we do everything together…" she said in a dreamy voice. Atula reacted strangely, as if chilled. She rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked in concern but Atula just sat Indian style on her cot and brushed her question off with, "It's chilly in here, that's all."

Maya watched her and then went over to her trunk and rummaged for a pack of Oreos, "Want one?" she offered with a smile.

"Oh sure, I love Oreos." Atula gushed and then bowed her head and twirled her hair, "At home… I eat them with peanut butter," she confessed. Maya was shocked at this revelation.

"You do?" Maya asked pulling out some peanut butter "That's so weird. So do I."

"You're kidding? Most people find that totally disgusting."

"I know, I don't get it,"

"Me either,"

The two laughed, feeling a little guilty for enjoying each other's company, then laughed even harder. Maya dug a jar of peanut butter from her trunk and opened it. The girls started eating.

"So, What's your Dad like? I mean, is he the kind of father you can talk to or is he one of those workaholic types that says, 'I'll talk to you later, honey', but never really does? I hate that." Maya giggled, opening the jar of peanut butter and dipped an Oreo in it munching on it like she was in heaven.

"I don't have a father, actually. I mean, I had one, once, I suppose, but my parents divorced years ago. My mother never even mentions him. It's like he evaporated into thin air or something." Atula muttered also grabbing a piece of Oreo.

"It's scary the way people don't stay together anymore."

"Tell me about it"

The two continued eating their Oreos and peanut butter for a while, munching quietly.

"How old are you?" Maya asked.

"I'll be fifteen on August 24th." Atula answered and Maya choked on her Oreos and peanut butter.

"So will I!" she exclaimed.

"Your birthday's August 24th?" a surprised Atula asked with all class, "How weird is that…"

"Extremely." Maya agreed and looked out the window to see that the rain had stopped.

"Oh hey, it stopped raining. Want to get a popsicle or something?" she asked already halfway down the stairs in front of the isolation when she suddenly fingered her locket. Atula went out and followed her, also fingering her own locket.

"What's the matter?" Maya asked, looking at Atula.

"Maya, what's your mother like?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not sure, I've never actually met her. She and my Dad split up when I was a baby, maybe even before, I'm not sure. He doesn't like to talk about her... but I know she was really beautiful." Maya explained with a smile and Atula looked at her quite inquiringly.

"How do you know that?"

"Because my Dad had this old picture of her hidden in his sock drawer, he caught me looking at it all the time so he gave it to me to keep..." Maya explained then looked beyond the woods and back at Atula, "So um well I'm really thirsty, you sure you don't want to get a lemonade or something to drink?"

"Will you stop thinking about your stomach at a time like this!" Atula cried half indignantly half pleadingly. Pieces of the puzzle were starting to form on her mind.

"At a time like what?" Maya asked feeling really confused.

"Don't you realize what's happening?!" Atula exclaimed heading back towards the cabin followed by Maya. "I mean, think about it! I only have a mother – and you only have a father; you've never seen your Mom and I've never seen my Dad." Atula started to pace back and forth in the cabin while Maya watched her, trying to take in what she was trying to say.

"You have one old picture of your Mom," she plunged on pointing a finger at Maya, "And I have one old picture of my Dad! But, at least yours is probably a whole picture. Mine's this pathetic little thing that's wrinkled and ripped down the middle… and what are you rummaging in your trunk for?" she stopped pacing after seeing that Maya was bent over her trunk moving aside her things to get something. She stood up holding to her chest a photograph, wrinkled and ripped right down the middle.

"This… is a picture of my Mom." Maya explained, holding the photograph close to her chest, "And it's ripped too."

"Right down the middle?" Atula asked knowingly.

"Right down the middle." Maya echoed feeling apprehensive. Atula stared at the back of the photograph and then rushed over to her drawer where she took out a yellow metal pencil case which had a picture of a old white orcid in front. She opened it gently and rummaged through the other photo memorabilia for the picture of her father and held it close to her chest, like Maya.

"This is so… freaky," she said and looked nervously at Maya.

"Ok, at the count of three, we'll show them to each other, ok?" she asked nervously.

"Ok…" nodded Maya who was now feeling really apprehensive.

"One,"

"Two,"

"Three!" they said in unison and the girls both showed and connected the ripped picture. The two gasped as they both saw the faces of their parents but on the others hand.

"That's my Dad." Maya whispered staring at the 19 year old face of Kiba Inuzuka currently being held by Atula.

"That's my Mom!" Atula gasped looking at the 19 year old face of Hinata Hyuga that Maya was holding on to.

The two torn pictures which, when placed next to each other, fit perfectly, forming one complete picture. In the picture, Hinata sat cozily next to Kiba with Akumaru next to them. Behind the couple was a red heart saying, 'Kiba and Hinata the happy couple', written in white. They were both smiling happily.

A bell sounded in the distance.

"T-that's the lunch bell," Atula stuttered out with a choked voice,

"I'm not so hungry anymore..." she said wiping away the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

"So if your Mom is my Mom... and my Dad is your Dad... and we're both born on August 24th, then you and I are... like... sisters!" she cried tearfully.

"Sisters?! Maya, we're like twins!" Atula cried excitedly. Overcome with emotions, the two sisters hugged at their unexpected reunion crying onto each others shoulders.

"I just… don't know what to say." Atula said and fingered her locker, something she did whenever nervous.

"What's that you're holding?" a curious Maya asked.

"My locket, I-I got it when I was born; it has a 'A' on it, see." Atula explained.

"I got mine when I was born too except mine has a 'M' on it," her sister said excitedly.

"This is like... I have to sit down." Atula sighed like she had just done a full workout with Uncle Neji.

"I think I'll join you." Maya sat down next to her on the bed. "Can I see your hands?" curiosity Atula brought up her hands. "Oh my god. Exactly the same. Except I bite my nails."

"You should stop. See how nice they could look," Atula said showing off her well groomed nails.

"What's your favorite color?" Maya asked curios.

"lavender or pearl I can't pick."

"If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

"I don't know. Pizza…" Atula said wondering why she was asking strange questions.

"Topped with…?"

"Peperoni, Extra cheese…"

"And…?" Maya waited.

"Stuffed crust."

"Oh my God. We are twins!"

And with lack of anymore words to say, the two hugged again amidst their tears of joy.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Night had finally settled after their day of revelation and the twins decided to do a makeover at their cabin. They no longer settled on the far sides of their room but put their beds together and pinned the ripped photo of their parents as one on the wall above their cots.

"I don't know what our parents fought about but it must've been pretty bad to tear us apart,"

"I can't imagine anyone not getting along with Dad. Everyone loves him," Maya exclaimed with a smile.

"I know, same with Mom."

"Tell me about her, what's she like?" Maya whispered excitedly.

"Well," Atula began, "She's a clothing designer, and I just love her style of jutsu."

"Get out!" Maya asked hoarsely.

"She designs the most beautiful wedding gowns, and the best Hokage clothing," her sister continued, "That's her specialty. She's becoming quite famous, actually."

"Wow…"

"You know what's interesting? Neither one of our parent ever got re-married..." Atula pointed out and looked at her sister, "Has your…my… our Dad ever been close to remarrying?"

"Never." Maya stated, "He says I'm the only girl in his life," she finished proudly and looked smug at her statement, holding her stuffed Dog close to her.

"Yeah, Mom's never come close either." Atula agreed. "You know what this means, don't you?"

"Not exactly. You're obviously the older one. You get everything before me. What does it mean?"

"Secretly, in their innermost heart of hearts, they must still be in love with each other," Atula whispered.

"You think so? Then why haven't they tried to see each other all these years?" Maya asked.

"That's the way true love works. History's filled with stories of lovers parted by some silly misunderstanding. Anyway, Mom can be unbelievably stubborn when she wants to be."

"She can't be worse than Dad." Maya sighed

"They sound exactly like us," Atula said, laughing. The two rolled on their backs and were about to fall into sleep when Maya suddenly bolted up and looked excitedly at Atula.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed but her sister gave her a quelling look."I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea!"

"What are you raving about?" Atula asked, sleep starting to seep into her voice

"You want to know what Dad is like, right?" Atula nodded raising a brow

"Right."

"And I'm dying to know Mom. So what I'm thinking is…Oh man, this is so brilliant, it's scary."

"What is it?!" Atula really wanted to know.

"Well I was thinking– don't freak out, okay?" Atula nodded again, "I think we should switch places!" Maya explained looking thoroughly psyched at her brilliance while Atula gasped dramatically.

"What?"

"When camp's over – I'll go back to Konoha as you, and you'll go back to Suna as me!" she explained with a big cheesy grin.

"What?!" her sister didn't seem to be getting the point.

"Come on Atula we can pull it off. We're twins, aren't we?" she said running her hand trough her messy hair then looking back to Atula.

"Twins from different villages, with different dialects, different hair-styles, different vocabularies…different everything. Maya, we're totally and completely one hundred percent different." Atula countered.

"So? What's the problem?" Maya asked exasperatedly, "I'll teach you to be me and you'll teach me to be you," she explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Look, I can do you already." Maya put up widened her eyes rather doe like, "You want to know the difference between us?" she asked in a melodramatic accent, "I have class and you don't." Atula giggled at her twin's impersonation of her.

"Please Atula, I gotta meet Mom." Maya pleaded with intertwined fingers and a puppy dog face.

"The truth is, you know- if we switch, sooner or later they'll have to un-switch us."Atula said.

"And when they do, they'll have to meet again."Maya continued excitedly.

"Face-to-face."

"After all these years…" her sister breathed looking excited too.

There was a small silence.

"I told you I'm brilliant," Maya said in a chipper voice, as she and her sister lay back down to bed and went to sleep.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The next weeks that remained for the girls were a montage of finding out about each other. They showed each other the blueprints of their homes, introduced the people they would be interacting with everyday and the habits and basic house rules. Today, Maya held a large pad on which she had drawn the layout of Her and her father's home. "Okay, dining room's on the right, but we never eat in there except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Living room's here... Dad's office is the first door down the hall. You never have to knock, if you do, he'll think it's weird... My room is right down the hall. Training room's here…" Maya said, pointing to each room.

Later, Atula and Maya sat on the edge of a cliff, looking through a stack of photos, as the campers sparred behind them. Atula now had her head band on her forehead as Maya now had hers around her neck.

"This is Neji."

"He's so cute. What do we call him?" Maya asked.

"Neji, Or if you want it more formal, Uncle Neji."

"That makes sense."

Atula showed her the next photo of Tenten and told her who she was "Cool?" Maya said calmly. Atula nodded showing her a picture of her, Tokiko and Shina with three other boys and seven adults.

"These are my moms friends and family. And this" She then pointed to a boy with brown hair and pearlish lavender eyes. "Is Toshiro our cousin. He's so sweet and kind to me, like a big brother."

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was after lunch and the twins were back at their cabin. Atula was sitting nervously on a stool clutching the brush like it was a lifeline and looking at her terrified face in front of the mirror. Her dark brown hair, which fell halfway down her back, was going to be cut. Maya told her that in order for their plan to pull through, they have to look alike and she knew that her twin was right. Although she really didn't like the idea of her hair being cut, she had to agree.

Maya looked expectantly at her sister and gave her a reassuring smile,

"Ready?" she asked and Atula closed her eyes and nodded,

"Ready." she answered.

Her twin went over to her drawer and pulled a big silver pair of scissors. She went over to her twin, measured a strand of her hair and positioned the scissors getting ready to cut, closing her eyes.

"Don't shut your eyes!" a horrified Atula exclaimed. Maya immediately opened her eyes.

"Oh, right. Sorry. I'm just a little nervous." she said, sheepishly.

"You're nervous?! A Fourteen year-old is cutting my hair!" an incredulous Atula exclaimed.

"Hey, you sounded just like me," she remarked happily and Atula smiled proudly.

"Well I'm supposed to, aren't I?" she said then, "Go ahead, just do it."

At her bequest, Maya started cutting and soon, strands of Atula's hair were down on the floor. "Don't worry you look great." After about an hour or so, Atula stood in front of the mirror staring at her newly cut hair. It was exactly like Maya's and she was amazed how they totally look alike now, apart from one tiny detail.

"Oh my God," she suddenly said and looked closer into the mirror while Atula watched worried.

"What?" she asked worriedly and her sister before pulling on her ears.

"I have pierced ears."

"Uh, no – no, no, no and no; not happening! Sorry, wrong number, I won't. I refuse," she said stubbornly while Maya crossed her arms and looked at the ceiling.

"Then cutting your hair was a waste of time. I mean I can't go to camp with pierced ears and come home without, C'mon get real," she chided, walking to the trunk for a needle. "Can you go get an apple and some ice."

A match was struck and Maya held a needle over it while Atula watched her with a petrified expression on her face. She was holding an ice cube underneath her earlobe and was currently wishing that she didn't undergo this painful process. She watched her sister approach her with a calm look on her face.

"Needle sterilized," she announced.

"Y-y-you sure you know what you're doing?" Atula stammered.

"Relax, I've gone with all my friends who got their ears pierced and it's nothing. Just close your eyes and it will be over before you know it." Maya assured like a professional businessman: suave.

"Earring ready?" she asked and her sister held up a silver earring as her reply.

"Good," Maya nodded, "Hand me the apple," she ordered and was given the slice of green apple with a terrified whimper from her sister.

"Just relax," she repeated, "I'm telling you, this is not a big deal. On the count of three, remove the ice! One…" Maya started.

"Two,"

"Three!" the needle pierced Atula's earlobe and the ice cube was replaced with the slice of apple. And before she even knew it the earring was in and she barley felt a thing.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was the last day of camp and everyone was giving each other tearful goodbyes and promises of keeping in touch. Atula and Maya both walked towards the entrance of the camp. The twins of course already switched both standing in each others casual clothes, and both ready to go their separate ways to meet the parents they've been dreaming all their life to meet.

"Ok, this is it." Maya said breathlessly now wearing her sister's tweed suit.

"Okay, so remember, you're going to find out how Mom and Dad met…" Atula clarified.

"…And you're gonna find out why they broke up…" Maya finished

"Atula Hyuga! Your group's leaving!" Kurenai called.

"That's you..."

"Give Dad a kiss for me," Maya told her smiling.

"Atula Hyuga, front and center!" Kurenai called again.

"And remember, you've gotta figure out a way to bring Him out to Konoha," Maya explained.

"Ok and give Mom a kiss for me." Atula said giving her twin a final hug.

With that Maya rushed to the her group, received a hug from Kurenai. Atula watched Maya disappear from the crowd, her fingers crossed.

"Good luck, Maya," Atula whispered and closed her eyes.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Maya was waiting with Tokiko and Shina outside of Konoha trying to be Atula as best she could. '_Ok, this is it,'_ she thought to herself. _'Oh, God, I hope she likes me. Please like me,'_ she chanted in her head, almost clasping her fingers together in a kind of prayer.

"Atula!" Maya whirled around and saw a tall brunette woman her hair in a tight bun pushing through the crowd trying to get to her and Atula's friends.

"Tenten!" Maya yelled, as she rushed to her and gave her a big hug.

Tenten 'Hyuga' was ecstatic at the sight of her niece and she immediately hugged her tightly. Maya hugged her back just as tight.

"Missed you." Tenten said after letting go of her.

"I m-missed you t-too," she answered looking at him longingly and smiled. Tenten appeared to be studying the new look of her niece, "What did you do to your hair?" she asked which proved that he was.

"I-I Cut it, d-don't you like it?" Maya felt apprehensive, her aunt's face didn't really seem to register that she was pleased with the 'do but she was proven wrong when she smiled.

"I love it! It's the new you!" she gushed, "And you had your ears pierced! Give me five, girlfriend," she said putting out her hand.

Maya was stunned for a second but quickly recovered when she remembered that this was supposed to be their "secret handshake." Gathering her wits about, she quickly shook her aunt's hand which started their "handshake." She let out a quick sigh of relief when she managed to do it and then they were off!

They two walked throughout all of the sights of Konoha and Maya couldn't help but jump with exitment.

"This is so amazing!" she gushed happily

"Eight weeks at camp and suddenly you start to act like Lee," Tenten joked stroking her niece's hair.

"That's what camp's for silly! It makes us appreciate home. "

They continued their jorney, turning into the park and walked along the white cobble path.

Nearing the the house, Maya couldn't help but take everything in. The house was rather elegant on one of Konoha loveliest streets. Looking up she saw a window with white billowing curtains – she supposed it was her mother's room. Gathering up her courage, she walked across the tiled path, up the stone steps and opened the dark wood door to the threshold of her mother.

"Arigatou, Tenten." Maya thanked as the brunette opened the door. She was amazed by what she saw, the curved staircase in front of her the living room to her right and the drawing room beyond that.

"Hello?" she called out. Upon hearing no answer, Maya quickly went over to the living room and paused for a while to see a cloth with the words WELCOME HOME ATULA! artistically inscribed on it before around the stairs, counting the doorways and stoped at kitchen where she saw a man around the age of her father reading a paper.

"Uncle Neji, I'm home?" she whispered tentatively. The paper went down to reveal a striking man with long chocolate brown hair and large creamy white eyes.

"Why are you addressing me so formally, dear,?" he asked, voice strong.

"O-oh I'm s-sorry Neji" she answered him breathlessly, and watched him put down his reading glasses and come to her with arms wide open.

"Come here." Neji Hyuga cooed and wrapped his arms around his neice.

"Did you have a good time, Atula?" he asked her, as Tenten walked into the room. Maya answered an "uh-huh" but continued her sniffing.

"What are you doing?" Tenten asked behind them, amused.

"J-just smelling," she told him as if it were normal.

"Smelling?"

"I'm making a memory. Years from now when I'm all grown-up, I'll remember how my Uncle Neji would always smelled of…" she sniffed him again, "Cotton and Oranges." Neji chuckled at his neice's ingenuity and thoughtfulness, before they heard the sound of a boy calling her... or rather Atula's name.

Coming from the back training area she saw her cousin, Toshiro, walking over to them. He looked like his father in almost every way, exept his hair was cut short. He had on a pair of black jeans, with a grey shirt under a white unzipped jacket. His headband wrapped around his forhead, and a kind smile on his face.

"Hey Atula, how you been, I've missed you." he said giving her a hug, picking her up a little.

"Atula?"

That voice put a pounding in Maya's heart and she couldn't help but stiffen a bit in her cousin's arms. Right there, across the living room, atop the curved staircase stood Hinata Hyuga. Toshiro let her go and Maya rushed back to the foyer and saw the most beautiful woman in the world: her mother. She stared at the woman above her – stared at her round loving leavender tinted white eyes and her exuberant expression at the sight of her daughter.

"Mom?" Maya said exitedly.

"Honey, welcome home!" Hinata exclaimed just as excited. Over the years Hinata had grown out of her shyness, now she only stuttered unless really nervous

Instincts kicked in and Maya was slowly ascending the staircase as her mother descended. The two met in a hug at the middle and Maya was so overwhelmed she hugged her mother tighter with tears in her eyes. Hinata kissed her daughter's cheek in greeting.

"What is it, sweetie?" Hinata asked, worry seeping into her voice.

"S-sorry, I just…I can't b-belive it's you."

"And I can't believe it's you." Hinata said and stroked her daughter's hair, "And with short hair! Who cut if for you?" she asked and Maya shrugged, "A girl at camp."

"Do you hate it?"

"No! I absolutely love it! And you got your ears pierced? Are there any other surprises? Tattoos, belly-button rings…?" Hinata continued while Maya giggled.

"Are you sure you're alright, Honey?" Hinata asked noticing the non-stop tears streaming from her daughter's cheeks; she gently brushed them away.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, it's just... I've missed you so much." Maya said through her tears.

"Can you believe it? It seems like it's been forever." Hinata sighed hugging her daughter again.

"You have no idea." Maya mumbled to herself as she clung on to her mother.

After a few minutes, Maya heard her cousin cough, indicating that they were still in the room.

"C'mon, let's go upstairs for tea." Hinata said and took her daughter's hand to the master's bedroom. Maya's eyes widened as she looked around the elegant yet chic room. The walls were a smooth lavender color and the queen sized bed was just plain fab! She looked towards a window where the wind seemed to make the white curtains billow and she smiled inwardly; she was correct upon her assumption when she stood out of the house awhile ago. She heard the chinks of china and saw her mother pouring tea into two cups. Hinata looked up and patted the empty spot beside her on a loveseat.

"Oh my, I love your room... it's so... totally Mom-like," Maya said looking about the room in awe .

"Nothing's new… it's just as Mom-like as it's always been. So, come on, tell me… how was camp? Did you like everyone? Was it fun?" Hinata asked her daughter as she sipped her tea. Maya thought about it for a moment,

"Yeah, it was great , I liked this one girl a real lot, I mean… in particular. She's from Suna, actually," Maya told her pausing. "Have you ever been to Suna?"

Hinata paused and poured some more tea. "Yes…. but that was a long time ago, before you were born."

A knock on the door interrupted the mother-daughter reunion and they both looked up to see Tenten holding the shabby little brown and white stuffed dog plushie, by its front paws.

"I found a stowaway in your suitcase," she giggled. Hinata only glanced at her daughter whose eyes became as wide as saucers as she realized that her Taytay was not supposed to be in her luggage but Atula's.

"Oh my God, Taytay," she whispered a little too loudly.

"Taytay?" her aunt echoed; Hinata turned to her

"He belongs to a girl in my bunk… I don't know how on earth he ended up in my suitcase. Gosh, whaddya know."

"Well, since he's not our 'Taytay', shall we dispose of him?" Tenten asked.

"No!" Maya cried suddenly grabbing for it. She immediately rectified her actions when she saw the strange looks her mother and her aunt gave her, "I mean, no. I'll mail him to her - you remember Mom, the one I was telling you about?" Hinata nodded, "She loves this thing a lot. A lot. A lot. She's like slept with that thing her entire life and she could never be like in a foreign village without him. I'll just take care of it, thank you, Tenten." she said in a much calmer tone as she got up and gently pried the stuff toy away from her aunt. Hinata smiled at her daughter and Tenten just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me," Tenten called out to them disappearing from the doorway.

Suddenly the phone rang and Hinata stood up to answer it.

"Hello? Hi... Really? Can't you manage without me? Atula just got home from camp... Well, what's the problem?" Maya stood up and crossed to the dresser running her hand across her Mother's brush, her pearls, smelled her perfume, then lifted up a photo of Hinata as a little girl. Her and Atula looked a lot like her. Maya looked at her mom as Hinata gave a worried glance at her daughter.

"Atula?" she called out and Maya was snapped from her reverie as she looked at her mother, "Would you mind very much running down to the studio with me?"

The two travelled down past the Naka Shrine and then onto passed Yamanaka Flowers, going to Hinata's studio. Maya held probably the biggest smile on the face of the planet, as they arrived in front of the boutique, the words, 'Hinata Hyuga Designs' written in bold elegant letters across the front.

"Wow, that's incredible. You designed that?" Maya gushed amazed to see the beautiful wedding gown on display. Hinata smiled proudly behind her.

"Well I had to do something while you were at camp. You don't think it's too…" she started.

"No. I love it. You know who would look really beautiful in that gown? I mean, like really beautiful?" Maya asked looking up at her mother.

"Who?"

"You."

"Me?" Hinata gave her daughter a smile, "I think that trip made you a little loopy. Come on, let's see what all the fuss is about," she said and ushered her daughter inside.

Inside the studio, Hinata and Maya climbed a circular stairwell, passing the Bridal Boutique on the first floor.

"You mean you never think about getting married again?" Maya continued.

"No, I like things exactly the way they are, thank you," she answered her daughter with a smile.

An assistant quickly hurried past them, three dresses balancing in his arms.

"Hi, Hinata. Hey Atula, welcome home."

They both smiled kindly greeting him back as he continued to rush off.

"But Mom, seriously, doesn't designing all these wedding gowns ever make you think about marriage... or maybe just think about the 'F' word?" Maya continued and for a moment, Hinata thought that her daughter was referring to that profane utterance she dreamed her daughter would never learn of, hear or use, "The 'F' word?" she asked hoping against hope it was not what she thought it was.

"My 'father.'" Maya explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, that 'F' word." Hinata made a mental sigh of relief but it did not stop the onslaught of memories all centered on the certain brown-haired blue-eyed man she used to love. "Well, no, actually it doesn't because I didn't even really wear a wedding gown-when I married your father."

"You didn't? Why not?"

"Hey, how did we get into this discussion anyway?"

The two arrived at the studio on the second floor of the boutique. "Okay, here we are. Now let's see what disaster awaits us,"

Maya watched with interest as the people scurried about, a tall gangally man- the photographer she guessed, was taking pictures of a beautiful woman, who wore an even more beautiful wedding gown.

"She's here. We're saved!" the photographer exclaimed then in a much lower voice,

"Uh-oh, the pressure's on," Hinata whispered to Maya.

"We don't know what to do with the veil. if she wears it, it covers the back of the dress, if she doesn't the dress seems..."

"– incomplete. Right." Hinata finished for him and then asked the model instructions to strike poses. Maya didn't listen anymore but watched as her mother looked around the studio. "Hey Atula, can you give me one of those tiaras over there"

Atula smiled and picked up a semi small tiara. "Now try standing sideways..? that's it. That's perfect." She put the tiara on her head then turned to the assistant. "Now slip the veil on and drape it back... not over her shoulders ... straight back, there you go..." She turned back to the model. "Now lift the train in your arms like you're carrying it. Don't worry about the bouquet, you're married now, you gotta learn to juggle... Beautiful. And look happy, it's your wedding day!"

"Mom is too cool." Maya mumbled to herself watching her mother work.

The model continued doing poses when Maya suddenly had the urge to join her. Fortunately, no one stopped her and she was pictured along with the happy model. She looked at her mother who smiled at her approvingly and she thought about her father. 'How on earth could my dad, ever let this cool woman go?' She thought to herself as she posed and smiled along with the bride model.

After the commotion, Hinata and Maya made their way down the hall, passing a row of design offices. The same assistant as earlier carrying another gown as he past them.

"So what _did_ you wear when you married Dad?"

Hinata just laughed and faced her daughter, "Why the sudden curiosity about your Dad, huh?"

"Well, maybe because he's never mentioned and you can't blame a kid for wondering..." Maya did have a point. "So, what was he like? Really."

"Who?" Maya rolled her eyes as they stepped onto the street.

"Mother, you can't avoid the subject forever; at least tell me what he was like?" Maya pleaded and Hinata sighed, giving in.

"Oh-kay," she said, "He was quite lovely to tell you the truth. He was just...actually entirely lovely. All right?" she asked in a final tone.

"All right." Maya answered and smiled. It suddenly started to rain and Hinata quickly snapped open an umbrella, winding her arms around Maya.

"So did you meet him here in Konoha?" Maya sprung the question and Hinata must've been expecting it because she didn't seemed surprised the finality in her tone was ignored.

"Yes actually, he used to live here."

"No kidding, was it love at first sight?" Maya pressed on excitedly and Hinata heaved a big sigh.

"I knew you were going to ask me all these questions one day!" she exclaimed. Hinata took Maya's hand as they dashed across the street.

"No, it wasn't love at first sight." Her smile turned slightly at the mention, "The truth is we were childhood friends, put on the same team... We didn't hit it off immediately, you know, but he was always so kind."

"So, did you see each other every single day?"

"You know, this part of your personality reminds me of you father." Hinata giggled at the memories of Kiba when he was younger. "Yes, we saw each other every morning, _and_ every night. Then one night, he popped the question, after four years of dating."

"Cool."

Maya smiled happily as Hinata put her arm around her, and pulled her close.

_'Dear old Dad…'_ Maya thought with a sigh as she walked beside her mother,_ 'I wonder what he's doing at this veeerry moment…?'_

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

At that _veeerry _moment, Kiba Inuzuka stood waiting boredly in front of the village gates. Shikamaru, Temari, Sasuke, Ino, Gaara and Matsuri close beside

He was still handsome, with his messy brown hair and red fang markings, but a little more ruggedly, at the age of 34. He watched as the other kids from camp flood into the gate and brightened up at the sight of his daughter.

(Atula and Maya both had the same fang like marks on their face but they are to pale to see unless you really looked hard.)

"Hey Maya!" he called out with this big goofy grin, "Welcome home Pup!"

"Oh gosh, it's him." Atula muttered to herself and fingered her locket. "Dad!"Atula smiled as she dropped her duffel and ran up to him and stopped just in front of him. Kiba held out his hands, "Get into these arms you little punk," he said holding out his arms.

Kiba wrapped his arms around Atula and pulled her close, picking her up and swung her around planting a loving kiss on her cheek as he did so.

"I hope you had a lousy time at that camp 'cause you're never going back – I missed you too much." Kiba said in a kind of joking-serious voice as he cupped his daughter's cheek then kissed it.

"What happened to you Maya? Something's changed," he said then measured the top of her head to his torso with the flat of his hand, "Have you gotten taller?" he asked with a grin. Messing up her hair, the two walk out of the airport with Kiba carrying Atula's duffel.

"So, what's up, Dad? How's Akamaru and everybody?"

"Great. Everybody's great, can't wait to see you and the girls. Eight weeks really is too long, Maya. So much has happened around here." Kiba answered and wrapped his arms tighter around his girl.

"A lot's happened to me, too. I feel like I'm practically a new woman." Atula said which made Kiba chuckle – since when did she use the term new woman? As they walked, Atula kept peeking at Kiba and he became quite self-conscious.

Rubbing his jaw, he looked at her when she peeked at him for what felt like the thousandth time, "What's the matter? Did I cut myself shaving?"

"No, it's just seeing you for the first time. I mean, you know... in so long." Atula said then giggled, "You look taller to me too Dad," she joked. Kiba just laughed and pulled her closer to him, "C'mon, Pup, let's go home." he said.

As they are walking through the Suna, Atula was awed that it was all her father's and she couldn't stop staring at them. She fell in love with the place too – Konoha is way different than Suna.

"Hey, by the way, thanks for all those newsy letters. I'm really glad I bought you all that personalized stationary you just had to have." Kiba said in a sarcastic yet joking voice to his daughter, a while later.

"We meant to write, Dad, but we just got so busy with..." Atula tried to explain and Kiba gave her another one of his boyish grins indicating that he was joking.

"We?" he noted.

"Oh. Me and my friend. I met this girl at camp and we got really close." Atula explained.

"Great," Kiba remarked nodding his head as he continued driving.

"Practically like sisters. She was a lovely girl." Atula said hoping he didn't get the innuendo.

"'Lovely girl'? You seem to have gotten very proper all of a sudden." Kiba remarked then got one of her hands, "Still biting those nails I see," he noted.

"Dad! You noticed!" Atula exclaimed.

"Whaddya mean, noticed? You've been biting them since you got teeth!" Kiba laughed.

"But I've decided to stop Dad." Atula stated in a serious tone, "It's a horrid habit."

"'Lovely girl,' 'horrid habit,'" Kiba scrunched his eyebrows and glanced at his daughter, "What'd I do – send you to summer camp or finishing school?" he joked. Atula just smiled as she was still getting the hang of being 'cool.'

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was doing it, Dad." Atula said and snorted, "Sorry, Dad." That caused them both to laughed.

"Do you want to know why I keep saying 'Dad'… the truth?" Atula asked.

"Because you missed your old man so much, right?" her father replied knowingly.

"Exactly!" Atula smiled after a beat, "It's because in my whole life, I mean you know, for the past eight weeks, I've never been able to say the word 'Dad.' Never. Not once! And if you ask me, a Dad is an irreplaceable person in a girls' life. I mean think about it, there's a whole day, devoted to celebrating Fathers, right? Just imagine someone's life without a Father. Never sitting on their Father's lap, never being able to say, 'Hi, Dad', 'What's up, Dad?', 'Bye, Dad, catch you later, Dad'. A baby's first words are almost always Dada, aren't they? Then there's 'Daddy'... Not to mention, 'Wait 'til your father gets home…" she started explaining and at each word, Kiba's smile grew.

"So, let me see if I get this ... the reason you're calling me Dad so much, is because you missed being able to call me Dad'?" he asked.

"Yeah. I really have." Kiba smiled as they entered a wooden archway that said Inuzuka. Atula's eyes widened as she looked up. Vine-covered almost the entire house. Atula let herself out and looked at her new surroundings. She was taking it all in from the gorgeous view of the vineyards to the house where Sammy, the Golden Retriever, was barking excitedly from a window on the second floor.

"OhmyGod!" she exclaimed looking around excitedly, "OhmyGod!"

"Now you sound like your old self," Kiba chuckled. "Ino volunteered to clean it for your return."

"Well, look who finally decided to come home," Temari said behind them with Temera by her side.

"Hey, Temari, hey Temera."

Temari gave a big hug to Atula as Kiba went to go put away her duffel. "It got too quiet around here, without you three around. We couldn't stand it. Nobody's radios blasting music, nobody playing hide and seek in the barracks, nobody getting stuck up on the roof…"

Maya laughed as the door slid open to let Ino and Kimi walk in. "Hello girls, you look fabulous, we all missed you. I made cheeseburgers and fries."

"Hey! Did I hear something about cheeseburgers and fries?" Kiba asked carrying Atula's duffel.

Ino nodded her heads toward the house, "It's on the counter, Kiba…"

"You've changed, Maya." Ino remarked putting an arm around her and Kimi and leading the girls to the wrap-around porch, "I can't put my finger on it, but something about you has definitely changed." Atula just smiled as she peered up at Ino and hoped that her cover wasn't blown.

"Really?" she asked feigning surprise as she walked towards the railings, "Well it's just the same old me!" she said and then turned around, "Honest," with that she crossed her fingers behind her back. Ino just looked over the three girls sceptically as Akumaru, Crystal and Hana, bounded down the steps

"Hi, Akamaru!" Atula exclaimed excitedly, her hand still behind her back. With one sniff, Akamaru backed off suspiciously, while Hana started barking angrily at her as if to say, hey! You're not Maya! While on the hand Crystal paid no mind to it. Atula looked worried and apparently, Ino was too since she slowly went over the dog with a frown.

"What's wrong with you? It's Maya," she said and patted Hana's hind legs.

"I probably smell like camp, that's all." Atula took this as her exit cue and ran off to the porch steps, followed by the other girls.

"What's the matter with you?" Ino berated the dogs while rubbing their heads, "It's like you didn't even recognize her!"

Ino followed the girls, to see Atula admiring the interior, inside the spacious living room Kimi and Temera sitting on the couch beside.

"What do you mean 'You smell like camp?' We smell like camp too, and you Don't see Hana and Akamaru barking at us." Kimi added looking her over. She sat there a few seconds in thought before a smirk crossd her features. Leaning over, she whispered something in Temera's ear, the two stared at each other a few seconds, before leaving with Temari

Ino looked over to Atula. "Alright then, since it seems the other;s won't be joining us. Whaddya want to do first? You wanna eat and then unpack? Or uh, we can unpack and then eat or… we can eat while we unpack?" Ino asked and casually stood in front of Atula who looked at her surprised,

"You mean, I can eat in my room?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, I'd say that's a definite possibility." Ino answered in a kind of 'duh' tone.

"Hey Maya! When you're done c'mon down, there's someone I want you to meet!" Kiba called out from the doorway, eating a cheeseburger.

"Ok Dad." Atula answered in a sing-song voice.

Kiba just smiled, "Ok Maya," he said mimicking her sing-song voice. "C'mon Akumaru"

Atula continued down the hall, suddenly stopping in her tracks. "Someone he wants me to meet?" Atula questioned.

Atula followed her father with her eyes and saw him sit on a table in front of a blond pale-skinned slim woman in a white mini skirt with matching white spegetti stap top. She heard their incoherent talk but the googly eyes her father was giving the woman definitely didn't go unnoticed.

"Did you tell her?" the high-pitched preppy voice of the woman floated through the French doors and made Atula's ears hurt as she heard the question and she scrunched her eyebrows.

"Tell me what?" she asked herself and watched as her father shook his head and the woman threw herself on his lap.

"Kiby…" she cooed and Atula nearly gagged at the sickening sight; the woman's voice was getting on her nerves.

Ino dragged her away from the scene and off to her room where she started unpacking the blue duffel. Atula went over to her window and peered at her father and the woman frolicking at the backyard.

"Who's the blonde?"

"Maya, it's none of my business how your father makes a fool out of himself, you understand? He's a big boy; he can do what he wants." Ino explained.

"Right, so who is she?" Atula asked.

"Her name's Sora Tomoe . Your father hired her at the beginning of the summer to watch the dogs when he was busy, But if you ask me, she's done a better job selling herself than the Dogs." Ino ranted along.

"Whaddya mean?" Atula asked confused.

"Look, you and I know your Dad's still the suave debonair Bachelor of the Month-type, so I wonder what a young hot thing like her sees in a guy who walks around with his shirt-tail hanging out, and who can scarf down a entire burger in 10 seconds flat. Then I realized, there's a million reasons why that girl would be giggling and interested in him." Ino continued her rant while Atula listened intently and was also zooming in at the couple on the patio with her camera lens. What she saw disgusted her. Kiba was making googly eyes at the very slim blond as she clung on to Kiba like a leech, giggling in a very high-pitched fake tone.

"You mean you don't think she even really likes him?"

"What do I know? But I'll tell you one thing – she's got your father eating out of the palm of her hand." Ino answered with ill-disguised revulsion.

Atula continued looking at them through the camera lens and was sickened when she saw the two kissing, which was more like eating each other's face off – and even more repulsed when she saw that Sora had her right foot up behind her as she wove her arms around Kiba's neck.

"They walk together, they swim together, and they're out to dinner every night. Not to mention she treats me like the maid, which I'm not. But you go down and see for yourself. Don't let me influence you." Ino finished her ranting with a big sigh.

Atula bounded down the stairs, wearing sunglasses and a faded blue T-shirt over a black bathing suit. Hands behind her back she surveyed her father and his old Sora as they frolicked on the chaise lounge.

Kiba stood up and smiled when he saw his daughter approach, "There's my girl!" he called out.

"Honey, I want you to meet a friend of mine." Kiba said walking towards his daughter and putting his arm around her. He faced her to the blond woman whom by now had a hat on her head that covered her rahter pretty face.

"Maya, this is Sora Tomoe." Sora was sipping ice tea when she heard the introduction and she slowly raised her head and gave an oh-so-fake smile at the one and only '_Maya_' Inuzuka – who looked very much like a miniature Hinata only with Kiba's sence of style.

"Hi," she said with a big smile etched on her puffed lips – not that she could feel it or anything.

"Hi." Atula replied putting up her shades and peered at the woman._ 'Could I shiver or would it be too obvious?'_ Atula thought to herself,

"Wow! I can't believe I'm already meeting the famous Maya. I have looked forward to this all summer." Sora gushed in her high-pitched preppy voice and tried to act really excited at the prospect of meeting the little monster that Kiba wouldn't stop talking about.

"Really?" Atula said just as fake, "Well, here I am!" she said and spread her arms, duh, she thought.

"Oh Kiby! She's adorable!" She gushed as Kiba smiled a small blush on his cheeks. Atula also smiled at the nerve of this woman – she was laying it on a tad too thick.

"You know the way you're father talks about you I expected a little girl but you are so grown up!" she continued gushing and it was starting to rile Atula whose mouth ached from the smiling.

"I'll be fifteen soon. How old are you?" she asked and it stopped Sora and she looked pretty thrown off by the question.

Trying to mask her irritation, she managed to say, "Twenty-seven," without gritting her teeth. Atula smiled; she hit a nerve and was proud of it!

"Wow!" she exclaimed excitedly, "Only thirteen years older than me. How old are you again, Dad?" she turned to Kiba who just grinned, nervously at her.

"Oh, suddenly she's interested in math," he joked then, "Hey, I'm gonna go get another burger and a bottle of champagne to celebrate." Atula held his hand and looked up at him.

"What are we celebrating?" she asked curiously. This put Kiba in the hot seat and he glanced at Sora for help.

"Your homecoming of course!" Sora jumped in– nice save, Kiba thought and smiled at her.

"Be right back." Kiba said and walked away. Sora's phone started ringing and she answered it with a very professional, "Sora Tomoe," as an opening line. She held up a finger and winked cheekily at Atula who tried not to roll her eyes. Instead, she sat at the edge of the pool and dipped her feet in the cool water and removing her shirt.

"Hello. Uh-huh. I'll certainly ask him but I doubt if he'll be available. I understand it's for a local charity. Um-hmmm... I'm writing it all down." Atula noted that Sora didn't even have a pen and paper at hand, "Okay, got it. Sounds very worthwhile, I agree but unfortunately, I see that Mr. Inuzuka will be out of Suna those days. Yes, I'll be sure to mention it to him. Thank you " She snapped the phone shut. "So. How was camp, Maya? Was it fabulous?"

"Yes, I loved it actually... My Dad's going out of Suna? When?" Atula asked worriedly and Sora laughed

"No, no, I just had to say a little white lie to get him out of something." Sora explained then she changed the subject, "You know I never heard a man talk about his daughter the way Kiby talks about you. You two are obviously incredibly close," she remarked.

"We're closer than close. We're all each other has..." Atula agreed then stood up. Suddenly and without warning, she made a huge cannonball into the pool and splashed Sora with water. The doused woman quickly stood up and nearly slipped on her four-inches stilettos because the soles were soaked. She tried not to glare at the girl who just ruined her three thousand dollar outfir and picked up the nearest towel to pat herself dry. Atula surfaced and tried to look apologetic, "Sorry – did I get you wet…Sora?" she asked in an angelic voice.

"Just a little, bit." Sora replied trying to control her anger then, "Hey, guess what? Your Dad took me to the training grounds the other day and let me play with Hana. I hope that's okay with you."

"Oh, sure. Hana's used to strange women playing with her. Not that you're strange or anything. Actually, compared to the others, you seem relatively normal." Atula said with a shrug and sat on a floater.

This piqued Sora's interest, "Others? What others?"

"You want the 411?" Atula asked in a low voice and leaning in towards Sora.

"The 411?" she asked eagerly.

"The 'information'... the lowdown on the other women. Can't say that I blame you. I'd want to know if I was number twenty-eight ... I mean... number twenty-nine in a man's life." Atula explained nonchalantly and was pleased at the none too pleased expression on Sora's face.

"I'm number twenty-nine?!" she exclaimed trying to maintain her composure as she became livid with anger.

"Well, yes but I didn't start counting 'til I was about four. God knows how many there were before then. It's always the same routine... horseback riding through the vineyards ... long romantic dinners with his special reserve label wine... moonlight swims..." Atula said laying it on real thick and nearly doubled over in laughter at the ridiculous contortions the woman's face in front of her was doing.

"But I always say, it's none of my business if a man his age wants to make a fool out of himself. Although, maybe he's changed and you're the real thing, Gabs." Atula said. Ah, the cherry on top! She snickered to herself. Right at that moment, Kiba walked in with a bottle and two champagne flutes.

"Okay, here we go. A bottle of my special reserve label. You girls find something to talk about while I was gone?" he asked looking at Atula then at Sora. Atula smiled and dove under the water, just like a little angel with a knowing look at Sora. Sora didn't want to look at Kiba right now and opted to finger her expensive necklace and smile.

"Does that mean 'yes'?" Kiba asked with a grin.

Sora turned to him with a glint in her eye, "It sure does."

_=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=  
_

"So... You think that Atula is here in Suna pretending to be Maya, and Maya is in Kohona pretending to be Atula" Temera smirked at the twin trick. "Wow sneaky little devils. eh?"

"Yeah, I mean if it wasn't for the dogs barking at her, we may have never known." Kimi giggle. The two where sprawled across Kimi's bed, Kimi, leaning against her bed post, while Temera was laid on her back hads resting behind her head.

"Why do you think they did it?"

"Not sure, maybe we'll find out later."

The two stayed in a comfertable silence, the sound of spashing water and people walking about their could be heard outside, when the sound of Temera sigh met Kimi's ears.

"What's wrong?"

Temera propped herself up on her elbows, hair falling infront of her eyes. "We got to tell Rai and Kenji about the switch."

"Why?" Kimi questioned standing up, only to plop herself next to Temera. Strentching her arms above her head, a small crack emitting freom her joints.

"Because you know Rai has a crush on Maya, and if he finally gets up guts to tell Maya how he feels, we don't want him telling Atula instead. You know how embarrising that would be?" she said in a mater-of-fact tone.

Kimi and Temera started to giggle, the thought of Temera's stoic cousin, telling the wrong girl how he felt. Rai would be so embaressed that he'd probably never want to see the girls again.

"What a drag" Temera sighed again, eyes watching the clouds as they passed. She loved watching the clouds, they were just so relaxing.

Suddenly the doors slid open, and two teenage boys barged in. The first one had spiky black hair, and beautiful navy blue eyes. He wore dark blue T-shirt, a short sleeved grey button up over it, and a pair of baggy black jeans, with black combat boots and black fingerless gloves, his headband placed securley around his forehead. He was Kenji Uchiha, Kimi's older brother

The other boy's name was Rai, he was the son of Garra and Matsuri. He had rather messy spiky crimson red hair in with bangs falling carelessly over his brow. Black rings circled his large pale crystal blue orbs, and a small silver ring was placed in his left ear. He wore a pair of blue jeans, with a black T-shirt and fingerless gloves, a small pendant was around his neck. He also had what looked like a giant gourd on his back made of compacted sand.

"Kenji!" Kimi said annoyed, bolting up from her laying possion, "What are you guys doing in my room, you just can't barge in."

"Do you really think I care?" Kenji added just as annoyed, plopping down next to his younger sister, the bed getting even more crowded then it already was.

Temera groaned, her body slidding down until she was now laying on the floor, "Will you two _Please_ stop fighting! Do you know how troublesome it is?"

"Please." Rai sighed, sitting next to his cousin, his legs laying across her own. "They can't help it, thats what bothers and sisters do."

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Temera giggled a bit, glad she never had a problem with her brother. He was even more lazy then she was, but then again she did take after her mother more then her brother did anyway.

The four stayed like that for a while, Kenji and Kimi continuing their back and forth banter, while Rai and Temera just sat there and eatched, when something clicked in Temera's mind

Propping herself up with her elbows, she snapped her fingers together in recognishion "Oh yeah!"

"_'Oh yea'_ what?" Rai asked, staring at his older cousin, brow raised, Kimi and Kenji's argument now forgotten.

Temera sighed, god was this going to be hell to explaine. "Alright, well this is going to be a little bit hard to explaine, but..." giving yet another sigh, she rubbed the back of her head, eyes closed in annoyance.

"After we got to camp we met this girl Atula,..." Kimi continues. "Her and Maya didn't hit it off right away, actually they kinda hated each other, but then... well they kinda found out that... that the two were... well she... sheendedupbeingMaya'stwinsister." Kimi blurted the last part out rather quickly, that the boys just sat their, faces blank with confusion.

"Uhhm, Can you repeat that, _slower_, this time." Kenji asked curiously looking at his sister

"While at camp, we met this girl Atula, and it was so freaky because she looked exactly like Maya, but they where the exact opposite personality wise." She paused for a bit, voice slow. "It was only later that we found out the two were actually twins."

"Then the two of them must have switch places or something when camp was over. So now I guess Maya must be in Konoha pretending to be Atula, while Atula is here pretending to be Maya." Temera finished. Her eyes falling on the gapping faces of Rai and Kenji eyes wide.

"Are you serious, please tell me you're kidding." Kenji begged.

"I don't think there are." Rai voice was level, but Temera could tell her cousin wasn't alright, how could he be, the girl he liked so much was in a different village, pretending to be someone else, while that someone else was here pretending to be her.

"The only reason _we_ had realized it, was because we saw _and_ met Atula. Then there's the fact that Hana and Akamaru were barking at her, like they had never met the girl before, that's when it suddenly clicked."

Th boys just continued to stare at them in disbelief.

"You have to _promise_ not to tell Kiba, or I swaer to god you're dead. Got it?" Temera pointed a kunai at them just to prove her point.

"Got it." They agreed, simoultaniozly.

"Good." Temera smiled, lazing back against Kimi's bed, as said brunette kicked the two boys out of her room.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was breakfast time back in Konoha, and the phone rang. Hinata was fixing herself up in front of the mirror when she heard the incessant ringing.

"Could somebody grab that please?" she called out and since Neji was nearest the phone, he answered it.

"Hyuga Household?" he answered then scrunched his eyebrows just as Maya passed him by peeling an orange, "Atula?" he said bewildered.

"Yes, Neji?" Maya asked walking to him from hearing Atula's name.

Neji did a double-take before returning to the phone, "It sounds just like you on the phone…I'm sorry, who did you wish to talk to? Atula? Right…a Anna Yanakomo for you," he handed her the phone, "Strange, she sounded just like your twin," he remarked before hearing Tenten's voice calling to him

"My twin?" Maya exclaimed surprise, "Very funny Neji," she put the phone on her ear, "Hello? Oh Anna, how are you?" she said in a rather quite voice. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Atula would've been rolling on the floor laughing hysterically at her loud and obnoxiose counterpart actin g so quiet and meek.

"Hey, how's it going over there?" she asked worriedly bouncing on the balls of her feet as she walked into her en-suite bathroom.

"Oh, everything's quite lovely here." Maya continued on shyly. "We're expecting a bit of rain... but Anna, can you hold on a minuet please?"

"Ok Maya but hurry – I've got to talk to you." Atula said as she paced her bathroom.

Maya made sure the coast was clear then entered the closet underneath the spiral staircase, shutting the door just as Neji walked back in the room.

He did another double-take... "Now where'd she go?"

She settled herself amongst the coats and pulled the string that turned on the light. "Okay, now I can talk. OhmyGod, mom's incredible. I can not believe I've lived my entire life without knowing her. She's beautiful and fun and smart and I love the gowns she and her jutsu what she does its so beautiful. I got her talking about how she and Dad first met and what happened between them and if you ask me-" her blabbing was stopped by a cry at the other end of the line.

"Maya – stop!" and exasperated Atula cried, "We've got a major problem. I'm going to have to bring Dad there immediately."

"Immediately? You cant? I've only had one day with mom. I'm just getting to know her. I can't. I refuse." Maya stubbornly said as she fished the pockets of the coats for something.

"But this is an emergency. Dad's in love." Atula pleaded but her sister just laughed.

"Get out of here. Dad doesn't fall in love. I mean, not seriously." Maya said and rolled her eyes.

"Trust me; he's serious, about this one. He's always holding her hand, kissing her neck, waiting on her hand and foot…" her sister reported disgustedly and Maya found herself sinking to the floor.

"He is?" she asked disbelievingly.

"It's disgusting." Atula snapped.

"Well, you'll just have to break them up. Sabotage them. Do whatever you have to." Maya said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm trying, but I'm at a slight disadvantage I only met the man twelve hours ago. You've got to back me up here, please help. Please" Atula pleaded desperation now in her voice.

"Atula, I can't. I want more time with Mom." Maya retorted stubbornly. She found a candy and popped it in her mouth. She looked at the wrapper and smiled mischievously.

"What's going on?" Atula cried into the phone hearing what seemed to be static.

"Atula! Are you still there? I can barely hear you!" Maya said exaggeratedly panicked.

"Maya, what're you…?" Atula tried to butt in, "Hello?!"

"I think I lost you... Atu!" Maya cried before slamming down the phone.

"Thanks for all the help…May." Atula said sarcastically at the receiver.

Maya crept out of the coat closet when she heard a cough from above. Looking up, she saw Hinata, Neji, and Tenten, looking down curiously on her.

"Hi!" she said in a cheery voice, "Had a phone call. From a friend at camp. It's an old camp tradition... Talk to your best friend from inside a closet... kinda stupid, I know." Maya rose and placed the phone back on the table.

"So... Breakfast anyone?" she asked immediately changing the subject.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

"Ok, here we go!"

Ino carried a plate with bacon and eggs and another plate with a stack of chocolate pancakes. She brought them down in front of Atula who seemed disinterested in her breakfast.

"Most important meal of the day... Eggs sunny side up, bacon, toast and just in case you're really hungry... a stack of humongous chocolate chip pancakes which are incredible, if I do say so myself." Ino Insisted as she placed all of this in front of Atula.

"Thanks Ino," muttered a distracted Atula.

"Not hungry again?" Ino asked with a frown, "You hardly ate your Cheeseburger, your favorite food in the world, and now you're not eating your breakfast... You're not sick, are you?"she asked worriedly putting her hands on Atula's forehead.

"I'm fine, I promise," the girl said with a small smile and shrug, "Where's Dad?" she asked.

"Oh," Ino muttered and walked back to the stove, "He and Miss," she put on a high-pitch preppy voice, "'I'll only have half-a-grapefruit thank you'" Atula giggled, "Left about a half an hour ago."

"You overslept and he didn't want to wake you. Of course, I'd oversleep too if I was up at midnight making mysterious phone calls from my bathroom." Kenji smirked only to be shushed by Kimi.

Atula tried not to look like a deer caught in headlights as she choked on the orange juice she was drinking, "Oh, that. I was calling a friend from camp. Anna. She lives in Kirigakure."

"Oh, I see, and you wanted to call Anna at a time that was convenient for her. Because of the time difference." Ino stated knowingly as she poured herself coffee, taking the seat between her two children.

"Exactly! Because of the time difference." Atula nodded with a smile.

"Uh-huh. So you waited until it was three in the morning her time. That makes perfect sense."

"Actually, it was seven at night her time. You see she lives in Kirigakure... but she was on vacation with her family in... Iwagakure." Atula explained with a triumphant smile.

"Very smooth." Rai said from across the table "Oh yeah, your Dad wants you to go over to the training grounds as soon as you're done with breakfast." Rai told her smirking

"He does? Thanks Rai." Atula bit off a piece of toast and munched on it, hopping off the stool. She was about to go out when Hana barked at her again making her jump in surprise.

"That do has gotten so weird… Bye, Kenji, Rai, Kimi, Temera, oh yeah and Ino, thanks again for breakfast. It was great." she remarked rushing off to one of the French doors.

Ino looks down at the plate of untouched food. "What did you eat" she whispered as Atula pulled on the doors. It wouldn't budge and she pulled it again.

"Push Maya." Kenji instructed and the door was opened.

"Sorry, I…forgot. Thanks Kenji!" Atula said with a giggle. Ino looked on as Maya rushed off, then looking back to the other four children, wondering what was going on.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Kiba and Maya were walking through the training grounds a while later. Huge oak trees lined up the arrea. Hana and Akamaru wroughly played together, nipping and clawing at eachother, to anyone else it would look as though they where trying to kill eachother, but Kiba knew that Akamaru would never do anything to Hana, she was his daughter after all.

"Honey, I'm glad you're here, there's something really important I want to talk to you about," he said putting an arm around he, rtrying not to appear too nervous in front of his daughter.

"That's funny because there's something really important I want to talk to you about." Atula replied looking up at her father.

Kiba smiled down on her, "Ok, you go first."

"No you,"

"Ok, I want to talk to you about Sora."

"And I want to talk about my mother." Atula said then, "What about Sora?"

Kiba was taken completely offguard at her statement. He stopped momentarily in his tracks to gaze at his daughter as if seeing her for the first time. She really did look like Hinata, he thought. After about fourteen years, thoughts of her came rushing back just because of that statement.

"W-W-What about your mother?"

"Dad, I'm almost fifteen, how long do you expect me to buy that story that The Stork dropped me on your doorstep?" Atula said exasperatedly and Kiba gave a sigh.

"C'mon Maya, we've talked about your mother," he said.

"No we haven't. Not really. A girl needs more in life than half of a crumpled old photograph. Dad, I'm almost a teenager, face it, I need a mother." Atula pleaded.

"You know what?" Kiba asked looking into her eyes. "You're right you do need an mother, which brings me to-" He was cut short when they turn a corner, and bumped into Sora who was walking with her assistant, Aiko.

"Sora." Kiba finished and looked at the blonde with a smile as she climbed out of the caddy with her assistant.

"Hi Kiba," she greeted him back, "Hello Maya," she also said but not too fondly. She and her assistant walked up to the father and daughter.

"Maya, this is my assistant, Aiko. Aiko, this is Kiba's daughter, the one I've been telling you so much about." Sora said with a little wink which looked weird because her right eyelid looked to be malfunctioning as it tried to drop and perform the facial procedure. She unconsciously tried to raise the right part of her face so it would wink but she looked like she had a strange twitch. Kiba looked at her strangely for a bit and Atula tried not to guffaw at the sight. Sora's face was contorting so hard it looked like she was having a kind of facial epilepsy as she determinedly tried to do the wink. Her eyes were glued to the sky and her mouth took a strange 'O' and it also seemed as if she was stuck in that facial expression and was now trying to straighten her face.

"Hello, how are you?" Akio said boisterously in an attempt to save his boss' face as she started walking around trying to get her face straight.

"Hi there, I'm fine thank you." Atula replied as she watched her father rush to Sora's aid. Kiba was able to help the blonde and she kissed his cheek as thanks.

"Did you tell her?" she whispered to him.

"Almost," he replied and the couple went back to where Atula and Akio were standing. "Hey Maya how about we hang out together this afternoon." he asked putting his arm around his daughter. Atula scooted closer to her father and held on to his hand.

"Well I'll See you later darling – bye Maya!" Sora said smiling and making googly eyes at Kiba as she began to walk away followed by Akio.

"First change I make in that household is to send that two-faced little brat off to boarding school." Sora said evilly when they were out of earshot.

"Ooooooooh. Ice woman." Aiko smirked.

"And proud of it, babe."

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

At the training grounds: the place was huge and covered with trees and wild life. Atula was amazed that Suna had such a wonderful place. the dogs were following them every step of the way.

"So, you excited about our camping trip?" Kiba asked his daughter.

"What camping trip?" Atula asked confused – obviously her twin failed to mention that part.

"What camping trip? The one we go on every summer before you go back on missions for Suna." Kiba answered her with a look that wondered if she was kidding.

"Oh, that camping trip. Yeah, sure... I can't wait." Atula answered as if she remembered.

"So, Maya, what do you think of Sora?" Kiba asked expectantly.

"As what, Dad? Your dog watcher? Your friend? Your..?" she was cut off by her father.

"No, just – what do you think of her?" he asked, "As a person?"

"Oh she's…well, she's cute, she has nice hair, good teeth... Honestly, Dad, the woman's a complete stranger to me. Why do you want my opinion anyway?"she asked as if she already didn't know. The way Kiba and Sora acted around each other they were both headed to much bigger things than being just…friends.

Kiba quickened his pace a little "Well I'll tell you why, Maya. Because believe it or not…"

"Race you back to the house, Dad!" Atula took off like a bat getting out of hell.

"Maya I'm trying to tell you something!"

He silently cursed and tried running after her but she was long gone.

Atula could not believe that her assumption was correct and that the two were getting married. She hastily jumped off her horse and ran back to the house. Bursting in through the French doors, she paced back and forth starting a monologue; something her mother does too when upset.

"I'm in way over my head here. I can't handle this alone. I just can't. I'm only one kid." Atula started ranting her throwing her arms up and down in panic mode. Ino suddenly looked around from the corduroy arm chair she was sitting on.

"You got something you'd like to share with the class?" she asked a bit sternly, the other four teens poking there heads around the corner.

Atula jumped up in surprise and clutched her chest, "Ino," she said out of breath, "You gave me a fright!"

"I gave you 'a fright'?" She echoed standing up and folding her eyes travaling to the other four teens.

"I mean you scared me. I didn't know you were like, in here." Atula tried to explain as she backed away from the intense look Ino was giving her.

"You sure there's nothing you want to talk to me about? Like maybe why Akamaru and Hana never go near you anymore or why your appetite's suddenly changed or why all of a sudden you're neat as a pin and using expressions like, 'You gave me a fright'." Ino started to inquire the girl as she walked around Atula then she looked behind her at the others "And what are you four doing."

"Ino, I changed a lot over the summer that's all." Atula tried to cover herself.

"Ok, if I didn't know any better I'd say it's almost as if you were," she stopped herself in time and then shook her head, "Forget it – it's impossible," she said and put her glasses back on then started to walk away.

"Almost as if I were... who Ino? She questioned

"Nobody, Nobody... Forget I even mentioned it." Ino said with an assuring smile.

"Almost as if I were... Atula?"

Ino stopped in her tracks, stunned, while the other teens started to snicker.

"You know about Atula?"

"I AM Atula."

Ino took a sharp intake of breath as tears filled her eyes. She couldn't belive that she was looking at the other daughter of her two bst freinds, the little girl she had held as girl. her lips quivered as the situation overwhelmed her but she willed herself not to cry. The moment was ruined when Kiba burst into the living room and looked sternly at his daughter.

"...Why'd you take off like that Maya?... I told you I wanted to talk to you about something." he panted before looking over at a teary eyed Ino "Ino, why are you looking at her like that?"

"Like what?" Ino asked with a start, "I'm not looking at her in any special way," she blubbered as tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, "I'm looking at her just like I've looked at her for fourteen years. Since the day she came home from the hospital, six pounds, ten ounces, twenty-one inches long, this is how I look at her... Can I hug her?" she asked and then went over and wrapped Atula a very embrace.

"She's so beautiful, and so big." Ino muttered and Atula gave her a look that pleaded her not to say anything. She let go and dabbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm gonna go make you something special to eat. What would you like?... Oh, it doesn't matter. I'll whip up everything we've got. Hey, you four, let's go. Now" Ino said in a choked voice and then walked off to the kitchen, Kenji, Kimi, Rai, and Temera folloing suit. Atula watched them as Kiba approached her and sat her down on a sofa as he sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of her.

"Maya, we have to talk." Kiba said seriously.

"Okay, shoot."

"Alright, I wanna know what you think…about making Sora… a part of the family?"

"Part of…our family?"

Kiba nodded, "Yeah…"

"I think it's an awesome idea!"

"Yeah?"

"Inspired!"

"You do?"

"Brilliant!"

"Really?"

"Totally!"

"You do?!"

"It's like a dream come true! I've always wanted a big sister!" Atula said excitedly and Kiba shook his head.

"Honey, I'm afraid you're kind of missing the point."

"No, I'm not. You're going to adopt Sora. That is so sweet, Dad!"

"I'm not going to adopt her. I'm going to MARRY her."

Atula leapt up with fright "Marry her?! That's insane! How can you marry a woman young enough to be my big sister?!"

Kiba just looked back at her totally surprised at her reaction. He was hoping to get something more positive.

"Comment pouvez-vous épouser cette femme de godawful qui est évidemment dans l'amour avec votre argent?!" Atula raved in French

"Maya calm down." Kiba said gently.

"Je ne pourrais pas croire que vous choisiriez une telle vieille sorcière pour une mariée!"

"Maya calm down!" he repeated this time holding onto the arms of his daughter.

"Maman est totalement un améliorer de cent pourcent que que la sorcière diabolique jamais pourrait être!" Kiba pulled a face of confusion.

"Are you speaking French?" he asked after a beat.

Atula tensed realizing her mistake "I, uh, learned it at camp." she said quickly

Kiba took a breath "Okay, I'm sorry. Let's discuss this calmly and rationally... And in English, if you don't mind."

Ok,"

"Sweetheart, what has gotten into you?"

"Nothing. it's nothing... Just... Just..." Atula took a deep breath then let everything out, "Dad, you can't get married! It'll totally ruin completely everything!"

After saying that, she stormed off to her room leaving a very confused Kiba behind. He stood up and noticed Ino standing in the doorway; apparently she heard everything, Rai and Kenji behind her.

"Don't look at me, I don't know a thing." Ino said backing up and letting Kenji and Rai close the doors.

Kiba squeezed his forehead – a migraine was setting in when he heard loud pop music blasting from somewhere outside the house. He went to the wraparound porch to see a Sora walking towards him with that catlike grin etched on her face although it looked more like a grimace. Kiba gave a small wave and walked towards one of the outdoor armchairs.

"She thought I was going to adopt her!" he muttered to himself as he sat down.

"Hi Kiby!" Sora said brightly and made herself comfortable on Kiba's lap as she put down her purse and coat.

"Uh, hi." Kiba replied weakly covering his face with his hands.

"You look stressed babe." Sora stated and cupped his face with her hands then leaned in for a kiss. "How 'bout a martini?"

"How 'bout a double?" Kiba said as Sora snapped open her purse and took out a little black box with a small silver bell inside.

"Coming right up!" Sora smiled as she rang the little bell and the shrill sound made Kiba's migraine worse.

"Ino!" she called out then looked at her fiancé.

"Don't you love it?" she gushed with a little flick of her head, "It's just what we need – it's such a big house." Sora explained and Kiba gave the bell a little frown.

"Ino!" Sora nearly yelled seconds later Ino appeared at the door frame, not too thrilled about the bell.

"You rang?" she said sarcastically

"Two martinis and make Mr. Inuzuka's a double." Sora said sweetly.

Ino just stood there with a glare on her face. "I'm not a servant here Sora," she snapped and looked angrily at Kiba.

"Please Ino? I'm getting a migraine." Kiba begged and tried his puppy dog face.

Ino glared and held up her skirt in a curtsey. "Yes, Sir" And with that, she stormed off. Sora muttered something incoherent, putting back the bell in the box.

"I told Maya." Kiba said changing the topic.

"You did? And…?"

She went ballistic. She started yelling in French… I didn't even know she spoke French! I just don't get her lately..."

"Kiby - this reaction is totally classic. It's 'Daddy's Getting Remarried - 101'. I'd worry if she didn't react this way. Look, why don't I talk to her... woman to woman." Sora offered as she got off his lap and went over to the back of the chair where she started massaging his shoulders – then started kissing his neck.

"She's a little sensitive about you right now." Kiba muttered wagging a finger but smiling at the attention she gave him.

"That's why I need to do it. We've got to break the ice sometime." Sora declared and then unbuttoned the top three buttons of Kiba's shirt.

"Wear you're shirt like this. I like it when I see a bit of muscle," she cooed and stood up.

Sora found 'Daddy's-little-girl' in her room, feet propped-up on the bannister, shuffling a deck of cards. She journeyed the stone steps leading to them in her very high heels and knocked on one of the wooden posts.

"Knock-knock," Atula looked at her, "Can I join you?"

"Sure." Sora went in and sat down opposite Atula.

"Guess the news of the engagement came as a bit of a shock, huh?"

"Basically."

"You know, I remember what it was like to be fourteen. It's a wonderful age. You're just starting to feel like a woman and believe it or not soon you'll understand what it's like to be in love. You know being in love is a fantastic mystery that takes a man and woman on a magical journey to a place..." Sora gushed – but was cut off.

"...I don't mean to be jerky when you're trying to be all mushy and everything but I think I know what mystery my Dad sees in you." Atula said knowingly.

"You do?"

"Well yea you're young, beautiful, sexy and hey, the guy's only human. But if you ask me, marriage is supposed to be based on something more than just sex, right?" Atula asked with her angelic smile thoroughly not enjoying the way she had to grit her teeth and spit out those words that never did the woman in front of her justice though she enjoyed the shocked look on Sora's face when she heard the last part.

"Boy, your father really underestimates you." Sora suddenly growled squinting her eyes and peering at the girl before her with an evil smirk.

"But you won't, will you, Sora?" Atula smirked as they both studied each other carefully.

"So what if I'm young and beautiful? That's not a crime, you know. And for your information, I adore your father. He's exactly-the kind of man I always planned on marrying. This is the real deal, honey and nothing you do is going to come between us. The reality is, angel, you are no longer the only girl in Kiba Inuzuka's life. Get over it." Sora growled thoroughly panicking at the glare being thrown at her.

"If that's the case, my father's money has nothing to do with it, right?" Atula retorted. She also wanted to say 'and you're jealousy over my mother' but it would blow her cover. That hit a nerve and Sora leaned in so close that Atula could smell quite a strong hint of halitosis.

"I hope you're not suggesting I'm marrying your father for his money."

"All I know is, I've seen Cinderella a few zillion times and I'd rather not end up scrubbing the floors and befriending all the birds in the neighborhood while you're having breakfast in bed... if you get my drift?"

"Now. you listen, and you listen good! I am going to marry you're father in two weeks whether you like it or not. So I suggest that you do not tangle with my anymore! You're in way over your head. Is that clear?" Atula took the courage to lean in closer.

"Crystal."

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was lunchtime back in Konaha and when a bird flies to the windowsill and dropping off a a letter, inside the latter It was a picture of a dog with the word 'help' over it. The letter was picked up by a younger man, with pin straight black hair, fair-skin and dark black eyes covered by thick black sunglasses. For clothes he wore a long formfitting dark gray-ish purple jacket with a high collar, a pair of black pants, his headband secured around his right arm. He looked at the letter before going into the dinning room were his family and friend were.

His name was Kiyoshi Aburame son of Shino Aburame and Hana Inuzuka. He looked at it curiously when he heard his father calling him back to the dining room.

Entering the Dinning area, Kiyoshi smiled at the sight. Maya was eating dinner next to her Mother, Tokiko on her other side, his own mother Hana talking with Neji, across the table as Tenten and his father Shino and Tokiko's father Choji. Kakashi sat next to them while, he and his wife Anko continued to argue about something or another, their two children sitting ideally by, both reading a book silently.

"Do you guys want me to refill your glasses" He asks holding out a bottle of wine. There where a few nods, as he refilled the adults' wine glasses, holding the letter behind his back as he poured.

"This is fantastic wine by the way Hana thanks for bringing it." Hinata said drinking her wine.

"May I have a-sip?" Maya asked with a shy smile.

"I don't think you're going to like it," she said with a uneasy look, but handed over her glass anyway. Maya swirled the glass and sniffed it – then she took a healthy sip.

"If you ask me, the bouquet is a little too robust for a Merlot. But then again, I'm partial to the softer Suna style grape." Maya reported and as everyone looked at her in shock. Hinata looked at her daughter curiously. Kiba was also more partial to the softer Suna grape.

Kiyoshi moved closer to Maya to refill her mother's glass, holding the letter behind his back. Cocking her head to the side, she saw the paper with the drawing of her dog. Maya bent so low she fell from her chair, and right on the floor. Tenten gasped and Hinata stood up worriedly.

"Honey, are you okay?" Hinata said startled

"Had one too many sips I guess." Maya said as she stood up and brushed herself. "You know, Mom, I feel like I could use a bit of fresh air. Would it be okay if I stepped outside for a moment?"

"Of course. Are you okay? Would you like me to come with you?" Hinata continued asking.

"No, no. I'll be fine... Just got a touch woozy, that's all." Maya said and then tried not to bolt out of the door. The other five teens watching closely as she left.

Maya rushed to the nearest payphone which was at the park a few blocks from her house. Puling the door closed she bagan to dials the Operator. "Yes, I'd like to make a collect-call to Suna, please. Area code 707 ...

Atula was pacing, biting her nails for real now, when the phone rang. "Hello? Yes, I'll accept the charges. Maya, thank goodness you got my fax. I'm absolutely desperate." Atula said into the phone.

"What's up? What do you need help with?"

"Dad's getting married."

"What!" Maya shoutted through the other end.

"I mean black tie, white gown, the whole shebang. The wedding's in two weeks so, if there's any hope of getting Mom and Dad back together, we've got to do it fast. And I mean really fast" Atula nearly yelled out of frustration.

"Okay, Mom and I are going to the theatre tonight so I'll drop the bomb on her first thing in the morning." Maya said not noticing the small group of people who stood in front of the door of the phone booth.

"Ok I've already got an Idea. There's a new hotel that just opened up outside of Konaha before I left, I'll make a reservation for thursday, we'll all meet up there ok? And please Maya, hurry." Atula said as she put the phone down.

"Ok I will." Maya was so caught up with what just happened that she bumped the guy that was waiting outside the phonebooth.

"Oh excuse me," she turned to apologize and her eyes widened in surprise when the guy turned around to reveal that it was Toshiro. After seeing him she looks at the other tens to find Tokiko, Kiyoshi, Shina and Akira looking at her.

"Uh-oh…"

"Uh-oh." Toshiro echoed with a merry twinkle in his eyes, "What do you say we all take a little stroll in the park, eh cuz?" he asked and he put out his arm for her.

"Ok…" Maya said weakly and linked her arm through his, as the six teens made their way through the park.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The next morning, Maya held Taytay and nervously paced in front of the double doors that led to her mother's bedroom. Inside, Hinata was in her bed, dressed in a white satin night gown, finishing up a cup of coffee, sketching a wedding gown on a pad as she talked to someone on the phone.

"Just do it." Toshiro urged giving Maya a little nudge, pushing her into the room.

Hinata looked up and smiled at her daughter, patting the empty spot beside her on the bed. "Hi, sweetie. Come on in."

"How about you and I go out to lunch and spend the rest of the day getting lost in the streets?" Hinata asked her daughter as she put an arm around her and kiss her cheek.

"I can't… I'm sorry… I have to do something today." Maya said looking down.

"And what, may I ask, are you doing?" she asked deciding to humor her daughter, Instead of answering, Maya buried herself underneath the pink satin sheets of her mother's bed.

"Atula?"Hinata said trying to tickle her into coming out, "Atula!"

"That's where I have to go. I have to go see Atula." Maya said underneath the covers. Toshiro peeked into the room at the sound of her voice – she wasn't exactly all too quiet when she said it.

"I see and where might Atula be?" Hinata asked still thinking it was a joke.

"In Suna with her father, Kiba Inuzuka ." Maya answered and this piece of news definitely shocked Hinata. Her jaw dropped and she looked up to see her nephew leaning on the door frame, nodding.

"You're not Atula?" Hinata asked her eyes instantly filled with tears

as she lifts the covers to see Maya, hiding, scared to death. Pulling on the sheets while Maya looked at her fearfully holding Taytay close to her.

"That would be correct."

"You're Maya..."

"I am."

Hinata put a hand on her mouth as tears filled her eyes as she looked at the daughter she hasn't seen in over fourteen years.

"Atula and I met at camp and we decided to switch places. I'm sorry, but I'd never seen you and I'd dreamt of meeting you my whole life and Atula felt the exact same way about Dad, so we just sorta switched lives. I hope you're not mad because I love you so much and I just hope one day you can love me as me and not as Atula." Maya explained as her mother looked at her blankly.

"Oh, honey, I've loved you your whole life." Hinata cried as she pulled her daughter into her arms. The two looked up to see a bawling Tenten being comforted by Neji. Toshiro gently stepped in, shutting Hinata's door to give them some more privacy.

"Why didn't you tell me it was you all along?"

"I was scared." Maya confessed wiping away her tears, "So I guess you have to switch us back now, huh?"

"Well legally, you belong to your father and Atula belongs to me."

"You know this 'His' and 'Hers', kids. No offense, Mom, but this arrangement really sucks." she pouts

"I agree, it totally sucks. I don't want to lose you now that we've been together."

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to work this whole thing out." Maya said matter-of-factly.

"I guess we will."

"Will you be nervous about seeing Dad again?" she questioned

"N-no, of course not." she lied.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The next morning Hinata was freaking out, just going around her walk in closet getting random clothes and throwing them in a heap on her bed as Anko, Hana and Tenten watched her from their seats.

"I-I can handle this, I-I mean I haven't seen or even heard from Kiba Inuzukain fourteen years." She was wearing dark blue caprices with a unbuttoned white silk blouse over a lavender tank top with six silver bracelets on one wrist. Her open luggage was laid out on the bed behind her with some cloths falling out.

"Don't worry Honey, people see their ex's all the time, don't they? Besides I know my brother isn't gonna hurt you." Hana patted her on the back, she was actually very exited to see her younger brother.

Hinata on the other hand, was a mess. "We came up with this-arrangement so we'd never have to see each other again." Hinata tried to comb her hair with little to no luck "L-look at me, guys, have you ever seen me like this?" Hinata blabbered, and started to pace around

"Actually, from what Maya tells me he's still a hunk." Anko joked and Hinata smiled thinking of Kiba's and how much he kust have changed.

"And never remarried." Tenten continued, "Just like you."

"B-by choice, I m-mean, I-I just haven't met anyone else y-yet soo..."

The three other women just rolled their eyes.

"T-this is so bad, I mean this is the man that made me go weak in the knees more then Naruto did, what am I going to do" she sighed as Maya entered the room, carrying an overnight bag.

"I'm all set, Mom." She smiled

"Good. Me too... Almost. Not quite." Hinata replied with a smile.

"Mom you're suitcase is like, totally empty." Maya noted.

"Oh. Right... Sorry..." Hinata said distractedly, "So um did you speak to your father, dear?"

Maya and Hana shared a look before she answered, "Uh, yeah, I just spoke with him, actually... He said he's really anxious to see you."

"He did? Anxious-nervous, like he's dreading it or anxious-excited like he's looking forward to it?"

"Anxious-excited, definitely." Maya said and Hana raised an eyebrow knowing she was lying, "He said he'll meet us later today at the Four Seasons hotel." Hinata guffawed when she heard that.

"My, my that's incredibly soon, isn't it? Well, honey, why don't you run downstairs and gather our tickets from your aunt Hanabi while I finish up in here?" she said and Maya nodded.

Hinata turned to her friends as Maya walked out the door "Guys, I have a really ridiculous, somewhat childish request to make." The tree women look to her, "Anyway, I was wondering if..."

"...we'd accompany you to make the trip a bit easier for you?"

"Would you, please? I'd be forever grateful. Oh and please bring your families they'd love it, it's on me so don't worry ok"

The three woman looked at eachother before each shaking their heads yes. Hinata almost squealed and hugged them tightly.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Sora walked across the lobby of The Four Seasons. A grandfather clock on a nearby wall chimed twelve times announcing that it was noon already. Sora sped up her pace bye a bit, until she reached her mother and father, who stood near the elevators.

They were a stunning couple in their early fifties "Okay, they should be here any minute... Be nice. Daddy, He's everything you ever wanted for your little girl... plus millions more."

"Then you know I'll be nice." He chuckled, his dark eyes twinkling as if with dollar signs. Sora laughed and playfully tapped her father's arm when she caught sight of Kiba walking towards them.

"Oh, there he is," she said and straightened her new seaweed green, dress. Her face dropped however, when she saw Shikamaru, Temari, Gaara, Matsuri, Ino, Sasuke, Kenji, Kimi, Rai, Atula, Temera and Temera's younger brother Shikaru, following behind him Akamaru, Crystal and Hana lagging behind them.

"And he brought the whole motley crew." Sora muttered under her breath and tried to maintain the smile that was rapidly falling from her face.

"Hi darling!" she exclaimed sweetly and held hands with Kiba and smacked his lips, looking down at the three dogs with a pouting face. "Honey, dogs in The Four Seasons?"

"Maya begged me to bring them." Kiba explained with a grin and a shrug of his shoulders.

"And naturally you said 'yes'."

"Yeah, and beside, Akamaru and them are Family, it really shouldn't matter."

"Of course."she answered and bent down to pat Crystal's head. Crystal growled and tried to bite Sora's hand making her jump back and yelp in surprise.

"Good doggy." Ino said sotto to the dog and patted her head, "So, Sora, these the folks?"

"Yes! Mom... Dad... finally, you all meet." Sora gushed linking her arm through her fiancé's. "This is my fiance and the love of my life, Kiba Inuzuka, and this is his adorable daughter Maya who we can all thank for bringing us together this weekend... This entire get together was her idea I'll have you know...

"Well, how are you young lady, I've heard nothing but wonderful things about you." Sora's father smiled a fake smile at her. She just raised her eyebrows at the two older adults and pulled a face.

=:=meanwhile=:=

A black town car pulled up in front of the Hotel as Neji and the rest of the gang step out. After that, he opened the door of the backseat and held out his hand. Instead of his cousin's dainty hand, he received her foot, her ankle to be exact, and he looked up in surprise.

"Other end, Hina," he said and Hinata giggled madly as she retracted her foot and replaced it with her hand.

"Whoops!" she exclaimed wobbling allover trying to stay up strait. She pulled out a small sample-size vodka bottle from her purse, downing bottle after bottle, after draining the last bottle, she carelessly flung it behind her. Luckily it was caught by Tenten before it crashes to the ground.

"Tha' wuzz' a great ride, wasn't it?... So quick."she slurred drunkenly as she attempted put on her heels but to no avail – it kept slipping from her grasp.

"I never saw you so... thirsty, before, Hinata." Anko commented looking at the empty bottle in Tenten's hands.

"Oh really?! Well it's like I've never been thirsty before." Hinata continued to slur as Maya and Neji guide Hinata up the steps to the hotel... "Would you believe I've never tasted Vodka before this trip."

"Could've fooled me, Aunt Hinata." Toshiro chuckled

"Well come on then let's get going!" Hinata exclaimed drunkenly and went strutting inside the hotel. Neji just sighed and followed his cousin, the small mob of friedns and family following.

"I am in such major trouble in here!" Maya muttered to herself as she trailed behind her uncle wondering what her sister's reaction would be if she met her inebriated mother.

As the Hyuga' checked in, Sora & Co. were walking around the hotel. "I'm just saying, I know its short notice, but if they can do it, I think it would be a brilliant room for the wedding... Not too big, not too cramped... Not that I don't like the idea of getting married at the house... I do but this could be... amazing..." Sora blabbered and stopped to face Kiba and fix his lapels. She smiled up to him and he smiled down on her as Maria watched on.

Atula was about to drop dead from boredom when Akamaru suddenly pulled on his leash and dragged Atula away from Kiba, Sora and Sora's Parents. Atula held tightly onto Akamaru's leash while at the same time, holding Ino's hand who had Sasuke's hand who has Kimi's hand and so on and so forth until everyone was gone but Kiba, Sora and Sora's Parents.

"So I've already checked us in – why don't we go upstairs, freshen up and then rendezvous for lunch?" she asked her mother sweetly. She nodded and kissed her daughter's cheek.

"See you in ten," she said and then walked off with her husband. As she left, Sora intertwined her fingers with Kiba and looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Sweetheart, now that we're here. Why don't we go and check on the Honeymoon Suite?" she asked wiggling her eyebrows suggestively – or at least tried to.

"I bet it is to _die_ for…" she cooed and ran a hand through Kiba's thick locks, making him grin as he wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

Maya arrived at the front desk and started talking with the receptionist about the reservation made in the name of Hyuga while her uncle tried to peel Hinata off a luggage cart she insisted on riding. The two finally made their way to the front desk just as Maya got their door passes when Hinata bit her lower lip in excitement and started ringing the small bell.

"Mom, are you gonna be ok?" Maya asked gently prying her mother's fingers from the bell.

"Why I'm fabulous darling! Are we there yet?" she slurred. God did that sound weird coming from Hinata's lips. Maya lay her head on the counter as the other four families gave her a sympathetic look. Once more Neji sighed and dragged his cousin to the elevator. Hinata half-leaned on him and even tripped on her way there. Maya followed with an aghast look praying that her mother sober up before the big meet. Just as the elevator doors were about to slide shut, Hinata bodily threw herself between them and stumbled out of the elevator.

"Forgot my purse!" she exclaimed excitedly and made her way back to the front desk without managing a scruple.

Meanwhile, Atula was practically being dragged across the hotel by the eager dogs who sniffed and followed their master's scent. Hana barked excitedly and Maya turned to see her dogs gasping happily when the Half wolf huskies broke free of their leash and jumped over a luggage cart in order to reach Maya. She bent down and hugged her the dogs just as the elevater closed.

As Hinata made her way back and the intoxicated woman spotted Atula but not Ino who abruptly turned around.

"Mom!" Atula exclaimed in surprise. Everyone's eyes widen, as Ino scurried them up the stairs, while she stayed to watch over Atula.

"Honey, you didn't have to wait for me." Hinata told her daughter whose eyes widened at the smell of hard liquor coming from her mother's mouth.

"I could have found the room by myself, besides I need a little fresh air. Go on thweetie, I'll meet you up upthairs," she continued and walked off. Just as Atula was about to walk away, her mother turned around and called out, "I like that jacket by the way. Have you been wearing that the whole time?" Hinata turned around and narrowly avoided being hit by a huge bouquet of flowers a delivery man was carrying.

Slapping a hand on her forehead, she turned to Ino, "She's drunk. She's never had more than one glass of wine in her entire life and today of all days, she chooses to show up totally zonked."

Ino looked worriedly over shoulder and led the small 'Hyuga' to an open elevator, "Just do what the woman says and meet her upthstairs."

As the doors slid shut, Kiba and Sora arrive in front of another elevator flirting heavily with each other. The doors slid open and Sora pushed a wildly grinning Kiba inside.

"Alone at last," she whispered huskily into his ear and as the doors slid shut there stood a shocked Hinata Hyuga staring at the necking couple with a sheepish grin on her face. Kiba looked up and his jaw dropped at the sight of her. He tried to keep her in view, even leaning to the very wall of the elevator as Hinata managed a small wave and the doors finally slid shut. He stood there stunned, eyes wide open.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

"Maya Inuzuka!"

Hinata purposefully strode to the corridor calling out to her daughter. Simultaneously, two doors open across from each other, Maya stood in one doorway, Atula in the other. Their mother stopped in her tracks and put a hand on her forehead.

"Please don't do this to me," she said begged, "I'm already seeing double!"

"It's me, Mom, Atula." Atula said shyly and Hinata's expression softened at her daughter.

"Oh, honey... hi..." She gave Atula a big hug "You look beautiful." Hinata complemented cupping her daughter's cheek. Maya joined the hug and the three embraced each other tightly.

"Oh my girls," Hinata whispered then suddenly stood up and sternly looked at them.

"I can't believe you're together – but how could you do this to me?!" she cried. Ino heard the racket going on outside and decided to peek out the door.

"Excuse me," she interrupted and led the three to the Hyuga' room, "But may I suggest we take this little pow-wow inside with everyone else" she suggested and shut the door behind her.

"Hey Hinata, I know it's been years and…" she was cut off by a warm hug as Hinata flung herself to the blonds arms.

"Ino!"

Ino smile once Hinata passed through the doors closing it behind them happily "I knew I always liked you."

Moments later The girls sit side-by-side. With everyone from both parties in Hinata's room

"One of you," she said raising a finger in the air and walking towards them, "I'm not sure which one of you – told me that you're father knew that I was arriving here today! And I'm here to tell you…" she had started to pace back and forth now, "The man I just saw in the elevator had absolutely no idea he and I were on the same planet, let alone in the same hotel."

"You saw Dad already?" Atula asked incredulously.

"Yeah and it was completely and utterly humiliating. I gotta lie down..." Hinata walked into the bed room and flopped down on the bed. "Can one of you get me something cold for my head?"

Temera walked over to her with a glass of cold water. "Um thank you.. Um..."

"Temera, Temera Nara, I'm Temari and Shikamaru's daughter." she smiled

"Alright, thank you Temera." She paused to take a few sips of the water. "Don't you think I've pondered what it was going to be, like to see your father again after all these years?"

The twins shared a worried look as they listened to their mother. "Well, let me tell you, me waving like a shy and mindless idiot while Kiba Inuzuka is wrapped in another woman's arms is not exactly what I had in mind..."

Hinata rubbed her forehead,and accepted the wet towel from Atula. "Thank you," she put the towel on her forehead, shutting her eyes, she then opened them wide sitting up strait. "Wait! Does everyone know something but me?!"

Everyone froze.

"What's going on here?

"Mom," Atula began with a serious look, "Dad is getting married." .

"Oh. I see... getting married..." Hinata sat down in shock, eyes fell to the floor

"...To Cruella de Ville. She's awful, Mom...We can't let him go through with it."

"G-girls, your father's a grown man and quite capable of deciding whom he wishes to marry..." Hinata looked away tears forming in her eyes

"But she's all wrong for him. And the only way he won't marry her is..." Maya glanced at her sister, "You tell her, she knows you better." Maya nudged Atula who sat beside Hinata.

"Is if he sees you again." Atula finished to a still dumbstruck Hinata.

Hinata started to piece it all together "Y-you mean y-you're trying to fix me up with your f-father?" Hinata asked her daughters who looked at each other.

"Why not? Everyone here thinks you're perfect for each other." Kimi explained

"Hold it! You mean all of you knew about this?"

"No. Not exactly. We tried to reason with them. What could we do? They made us do it. It was a mistake. " Everyone in the room started to babbled on.

Hinata looked over to Gaara "Even you Gaara" She asked, he shook his head yes before Hinata stood up abruptly "O-okay, let me say this loud and clear. K-Kiba Inuzuka and I have nothing in c-common... anymore." She tried not to stutter but couldn't help but do so. "P-plus, in case you haven't noticed, h-he seems quit happy with his, long haired, tight-skirted fiance. I-I want the t-two of you to explain to your father that I am here f-for one purpose only and that's to switch y-you two back. Now, let's do what we have to do a-and be done with it? That goes for everyone." She explained looking about the room.

=:=meanwhile=:=

Kiba nervously ran his fingers through his hair trying to get out the door. "I just need to go downstairs for a few minutes to uhh, clear my head... then I'll meet you for lunch."

"Clear your head? What do you have to clear your head about? Is something wrong?" Sora started to stand up.

"... No. What could be wrong? We're getting married in ten days, everything's perfect." Kiba quickly, opened the door and ran down the hall bumping right into Atula.

"Hey, what's up Dad?" she asked brightly

"Just running down to the lobby! Hey May, would you do me a favor and keep Sora company, willya? Thanks." Kiba said and hurried off as his daughter walked away.

A few moments later, Kiba was in the lobby again and this time he bumps into the real Maya. He looked down on her obviously confused.

"Dad!"

"I thought you were going to keep Sora company?

"I was? 'I mean, I am. Yeah. I was actually just looking for her." Not being able to help herself and gave Kiba a quick hug. "It's great to see you"

"It's great to see you too pup... Now go on, get up there." he said and pointed to the elevator. Maya nodded and watched him rush when he suddenly he turned back.

"Do I look alright? Like presentable or something? Not too old?" he called out.

"You look fab Dad." Atula said as he took off. The elevator doors slid open and out came a tall blonde woman, primping herself in front of her compact mirror stepped out. She snaps the lid shut when she sees Maya and gave her a look.

"Have you seen your father?" she asked haughtily and Maya raised an eyebrow at her.

"You talkin' to me?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you. who else?" she snapped. Maya then realized to whom she was talking to.

"Oh! Sora... Uh, yeah, I just saw him..." she said and continued to size her up.

Sora looked at her waiting for more "Well, hel-lo? Where was he?"

"Oh, he went... that away, I think." Maya points in the opposite direction Kiba ran off to but she continued to stare at Sora.

"What are you staring at?" the young snapped getting irritated at the unwanted interest.

"Oh, nothing. You're just really pretty... that's all." Maya smirked and this seemed to irritate Sora more.

"Don't tell me you're going to break your rotten streak and suddenly be nice to me?"

"Don't tell me you're suddenly going to break your rotten streak and suddenly be nice to me?" she chuckled dryly "If you see your father, tell him I'm waiting."

"Whatever you say,'Cruella. whatever you say" Maya laughed to herself

Kiba walked into the hotel gift shop, looking for Hinata to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Instead, he saw Atula buying a candy bar.

He did a double-take."Maya? What are you doing? I thought you were gonna..."

"...She wasn't in her room, Dad." She said walking beside him.

"She wasn't? Oh... okay... See you in a little bit, pup." Kiba called, walking through the double doors and out the corridor. Wandering around more, Kiba stopped to catch his breath, only to finally catch sight of Hinata walking through the hotel's garden.

Waeving through the throngs of people he was able to get to the patio, only by now, Hinata was gone. Discouraged, he paused jumping in, surprise when he saw Maya sitting in one of the lawn chair, under a palm tree, sipping a alcohol free strawberry daiquiri .

"Looking, for somebody, Dad?"

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Sora arrived at the bar where she was supposed to have lunch with Kiba and her parents. Unable to find either of them, she sat on one of the leather stools in front of the counter where the bartender was mixing up some thick reddish drink.

"There you go," he said and handed the drink to a midnight haired woman who had her face laid on the granite surface a glass of ice to her head, "This'll cure any problems you got – just don't ask what's in it."

Hinata raised her head, hesitating before taking the glass "O-okay... Here's to.." She turned to Sora, not recognizing her. "Here's to you. May your life be far less complicated than mine.

"Thank you... martini, dry, please." Sora said and the bartender nodded.

She took a swig then pulled a face, it felt like drinking tar. When a large belch escaped her lips "Excuse me... " she apologized slowly "I'm sorry. I think I just drank tar."

The Bartender chuckled slightly, and handed Sora her drink, then Hinata her bill. Hinata gave the kind man a smile sighning the recipt, without really meaning it Sora sneaked a peak at her signature, practically choking on her Martini.

"You're Hinata Hyuga?

"Guilty."

"I can't believe it. I sent a letter to your office just yesterday. I saw a wedding dress you designed and fell completely in love with it. Your office said you were out and they didn't know if you could make another one. I can't believe it. This must be fate!" she said happily moving next to Hinata extending her hand "I'm Sora Tomoe."

Hinata hesitated again, taking her hand in a formal shake. "How do you do?"

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

At the pool, Kiba unbuttoned his coat and was trying to look inconspicuous as he roamed around trying to locate Hinata s he could talk to her. He was so pre-occupied with his task he forgot the lunch date with his future In-laws, and fiancé and he kept bumping the guests around the pool.  
Mr. and Mrs. Tomoe approached the wandering man and laid a hand on his arm making him jump in surprise.

"There you are. Kiba!, We've been looking all over for you," Mr. Tomoe said and Kiba smiled at them but still continued to look around.

"You know I think this hotel is perfect for the wedding... The more I see of it, the more I like it." Mrs. Tomoe said as she tried to stir the man to walk with her in a general direction.

"Me too." Kiba answered distractedly and spotted Hinata walk down the steps towards the pool area. He stared at her and he couldn't believe his eyes. All he could hear was the fast thumping of his heart and he couldn't stop gawking at the beautiful woman across the pool.

"Tell me, dear, how many guests will there be from your side of the family? Just a guesstimate?" She continued to ask as Kiba lips broke into a huge grin as he watched Hinata put on her sunglasses and stroll around the edge of the pool.

"I'm not sure at the moment... Can I get back to you on that one?" Kiba told her a bit snappishly and started to walk towards Hinata. He nearly bumped the hotel manager who was guiding a guest towards one of the chaise lounges by the pool. Kiba quickly sidestepped the other guests but his quest wasn't smooth sailing from there. He stumbled on a stool that went unnoticed by him and he tried to maintain his balance and his eyes on Hinata.

Kimi who was lying on a lounge chair next to Shikaru, looked up "Kiba, are you okay?" Kiba glanced over at her,

"Yeah," he said as an afterthought and when he turned around, he nearly bumped a waiter carrying a tray of water.

"Dad!" Atula cried out carrying two glasses of iced tea. Hinata snapped her head to the general direction of her daughter's voice and watched as Kiba spread his arms and waved them frantically as he lost his balance and fell backwards into the pool with a huge splash.

"Argh!" was the last that was heard of him before he fell. Hinata covered her mouth with her hand and Tenten took a picture. Hinata giggled as she watched him resurface, his button down and jeans sticking to him and his brown hair stuck up in odd angles – reminiscent of when they first met. Kiba hoisted himself out of the pool and walked towards Hinata dripping wet but with a huge smile on his face.

"Hello... Hina" Kiba said in a kind of husky voice and she giggled.

"Hello Kiba,"

"H-hello Kiba... L-long time no see..." Hinata replied backing up she and stood awkwardly trying not to be too nervous, "O-oh my, well there you are, w-what do you k-know…"

"Is there something going on around here that I should know?Well I mean... I haven't seen or heard from you in what... fourteen years and now suddenly you're popping up everywhere I look and naturally on the day that I'm..." Kiba looked to Hinata's right as Atula appeared at her Mother's side.

"...Dad, I can explain why she's here," she said and Kiba's eyes widened.

"M-Maya, you know who this is?" he asked glancing towards Hinata.

"Actually yes, and actually, I'm not Maya." Atula admitted looking nervously at her father.

"Actually, I am," the real Maya said as she stepped beside her sister and looked up smiling at her father. Kiba was speechless to see his twin daughters together for the first time in eleven years.

Kiba looked from Atula to Maya, back to Atula, then to Hinata who nodded. "Both of them?"

Atula looked up to meet her father's eye. "I guess you and Mom sort of think alike, cause you both sent us to the same camp. We met and the whole thing kind of just spilled out."

"T-they switch places on us, Kiba" Hinata muttered looking at Kiba but careful not to stare.

"Wait a minute. You mean I've had Atula all this time?" he asked and knelt to the level of his daughters.

"Well, I wanted to know what you were like and...and Maya wanted to know Mom... Are you angry?" she asked her father eyes down casting, who was still trying to process what happened.

It took a moment, then Kiba then took Atula in his arms and kissed her cheek. "Honey, of course not. It's just... I can't believe it's you. The last time I saw you... you were sill in diapers now look at you..."

Well, I'm quite grown up now and quite without a father." Atula said tearfully,

"And I'm headed into my crazy mixed'-up teenage years and I'll be the only girl I know without a mother to fight with." Maya whined Kiba pulled her to him.

"Mom's amazing, Dad... I don't know how you ever let her go." She smiled giving him a big hug.

"Girls, why don't you let your father and I talk for a couple of minutes, okay?" Hinata blushed

"Sure" Atula giggled

"Take your time." Maya said with a grin and the two walked away.

"Oh, man, I can't believe this... Seeing them together... seeing you..." Kiba sighed as he grabbed a dry towel and starting wiping his face. "How you been, Hinata?"

"I-I've been t-terrific. H-how about you?" she stutters

"Well, I've had better days. By the way I thought you stopped your stuttering ages ago." Suddenly he felt pain somewhere on his forehead.

"Ow!" he cried and looked at the towel to see a small spatter of blood on it. Hinata glanced at the towel then at the wound.

"O-oh I did, I d-don't know how I started again, please let me help you with that?" she asked stopping a towel girl who nodded and set off in the direction she came from. "Excuse me, do you have a First-Aid kit?"

"Sure." she said walking off

"Why don't you lie down?" Hinata instructed not daring to look him in the eye, Kiba did as told as the girl handed her the kit. She took out the necessary items as Kiba watched her.

"So how is everyone, still crazy as ever... hows Hana?" He questioned wondering how his older sister had been. They both exchanged small smiles.

"Everythings been fine, everyones fine... Hana misses you..." Hinata explained and started tending to Kiba's cut.

"...Finally! There you are!" Sora cried happily walking up to them.

"Oh. Good you've met. Honey, Hinata's going to make my... wedding gown..." She paused for a moment, unsure of what the two had once been doing. "But, I don't understand... How, how did you two meet. And Kiby why are you all wet?"

"How did we meet...?" Kiba stopped, looking over to Hinata again "How did you two meet?"

"Oh, we..."

"You're making My fiance's wedding gown?" He inturupted.

"W-well I didn't know she was y-your fiance..." Hinata trailed off.

"Am I missing something here?!" Sora questioned, barring her teeth

"you know what? This is one small world..." Kiba laughed dryly

"How small?" Sore questioned again, her eyes now narrowing when Atula suddenly popped up beside her.

"Hi Sor!" she said perkily and Sora glanced at her before glaring back at Hinata.

"Hello," the younger woman growled when another brunette popped up on her other side.

"How ya' doin'?" Maya asked and Sora glanced at her and then yelped in surprise. She glanced at Maya then back at Atula utterly horrified that there was not one but two of them!

"Honey, did I ever mention Maya was a twin?" Kiba tried lamely.

"No," a really peeved Sora said, "I'm afraid you missed that little important detail."

"Don't feel bad, Sora; he never mentioned it to me, either. Imagine my surprise... By the way, I'm the real Maya. This is Atula" she pointed at her sister and Sora dutifully glanced at the other side, "She's been with you in Suna, pretending to be me while I was in Konoha pretending to be her... And this is our Mother, Hinata Hyuga."

"This is your mother?" She pointed to Hinata

"Yes." they said together

"You were married to him?" she pointed to Kiba this time.

"Guilty, again."

"Well, well, this is a small world."

"And getting smaller." Kiba added

"And how amazing that we're all here on the same exact weekend. My, my how sweet." She exclaimed before putting the her hands over her face and promptly falling on the floor in a perfect faint. Hinata's eyes widened in panic as the girls giggled and Kiba tried to revive her.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Hinata rifled through her suitcase wondering what on earth she should wear for tomorrow when Hana walked in and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Aren't you going to…?" she was cut off when Hinata whipped around suddenly and screamed.

"Jesus! Hana! Don't scare me like that!" she yelled and clutched her heart before relizing what she had done and appoligized profuley.

"I'm sorry Hinata." Hana said with a smirk and helped her freind sit on the bed. Hinata took in deep breaths as she fanned herself with her hand.

"Waht were you going to say, Hana?" she suddenly asked. Her ex-sister-in-law stood up and went through her closet and took out a strapless light lavender dress that just went above her knees with a small white jacket with see through sleeves, and solid white pumps.

"How bout these?" she held the outfit up and earned a gasp from her freind, Bingo, we have a winner as Hinata grabbed the dress and heels then almost sprinted off to the bathroom.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Kiba stood at the far end of his room staring fixatedly on the suit laid out for him by Ino. Sora was back at the bar downing shot after shot of tequila. He gulped in copious amounts of air feeling very nervous that Hinata would find fault in his outfit.

"How come it takes you forever to dress?" Ino asked through the doorway and Kiba sheepishly looked down at his boxers and undershirt before hurriedly putting on the black dress pants, white T-shirt, and white dress shirt over came out so Ino could have a good look at him and she smiled brightly.

"Well it's a good thing I'm married, otherwise, you'd be in big trouble," she said and laughed at her own joke. Maya came into the room and beamed at the sight of her father. Maya had on a black knee length dress, a small dog printed on the bottom right corner with a black see through sash around her shoulders.

"Wow! You look…handsome," she complemented and Kiba broke into a huge grin.

"You think so?" he just said and took his daughter's hand. "Let's go,"

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Father and daughter walked out into the night when Kiba glanced at the outfit of his daughter. "Maya, I've had enough surprises for one day… can you please tell me where we're going?" he was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he pleaded with his daughter to spill their dinner venue.

"You're gonna love it, Dad, trust me." Maya just said. Just then, Hinata and Atula walk out of the hotel. Kiba did a double take at the dress his ex-wife was wearing and he tried not to gawk.

He then glanced at Atula for a second. She wore almost the same dress as Maya but white and with a purple dragon going up the bottom of the dress all the way up her chest, a purple shall around her shoulders.

"Hello," Hinata said with a small smile clutching her bag tighter.

"Hi." Kiba managed to utter as he watched Hinata approach them self-consciously fluffing her hair.

"S-so uh," she leaned in and Kiba smelled her perfume, "Do you have any idea where they're taking us?" she whispered.

"No idea."he leaned in closer and whispered. Hinata nodded her head solemnly when her daughters announced the arrival of their limousine. The four piled into the car…

"Okay, now put these on. You can take them off when we reach our destination." Atula told them

They arrived about half an hour later. "Okay, you can take them off now." Kiba and Hinata exited the limo, taking off their blindfolds. Their eyes widen as they look ahead and saw a large building without a soul in sight.

Hinata turned to her daughter with a curious look on her face. "Where are we?" she asked and her daughter just grinned back when Kiba stood beside them putting his hands in his pockets and looking around to see a sighn that read, _'Marvolo's fine dining.'_

"It's ours for the night." Maya laughed

"So, how exactly are we paying for this?" Kiba asked and Atula turned to him.

"Well, we pooled our allowances," she said and Kiba just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, right." he said and she giggled.

"Okay, Neji pitched in a bit." they continue looking at her. "Okay, all the adults pitched in a lot.

Kiba and Hinata exchange a quizzical look, as they followed the girls up the steps to the lounge, where Temari and Shikamaru welcomed them inside.

"Temari, Shikamaru what are you doing here." Kiba asked looking them up and down.

"Don't be a drag, just enjoy" Shikamaru answered waving a hand at him

"Okay folks, right this way..." Temari said showing them to a pair of double doors, were Kakashi and Shino were waiting.

"Will you please" Shikamaru asked, as Kakashi and Shino each opened a door.

"Hinata and Kiba, you're dinner awaits you." Maya said proudly. Inside they saw, a small round table with a white table cloth, red roses and a candle-light dinner set for two, with a beautiful dance floor behind.

"Girls…" Hinata cried while Kiba was speechless.

"The table's only set for two," he noted after looking around awestruck.

"Oh, that's the other part of the surprise," Atula explained, "We're not joining you."

"You're not?" Hinata looked at her disbelievingly. Suddenly Ino came from another door wearing a black dress with a black apron, carrying a tray of... mini pizza bagles? Hinata's favorite.

"No but I am," she said, "Good evening, I'm Ino, I'll be your server tonight. No wisecracks please," she said seriously and Kiba put a fist on his lips to avoid cracking up.

At that moment, Sasuke stepped out wearing black dress pants with a matching black dress shirt, carrying a bottle of champagne.

"And I'm Sasuke, your Sommelier. May I offer you both a taste of the bubbly in hopes that you won't go all ballistic at Ino and myself, for following the orders of these audacious twins..."

After that the girls disappeared behind double doors, leaving Kiba and Hinata looking very confused. After awhile, Kiba walked around the room when he noticed a large heart with a the words 'Kiba and Hinata the happy couple' in white.

"You do get all this, don't you?" she asked looking expectantly at the two. "They're recreating the night we got engaged..."

"Oh, my" Hinata put her hand over her mouth.

"Sasuke, I think I'll have that drink now." Kiba said and took one of the champagne flutes as Hinata took the other before slipping away.

"To tell you the truth, I haven't been in a restaurant like this sense our engagement." Kiba admitted to Hinata, sitting down at the table taking a sip of his champagne.

"N-neither have I." Hinata agreed as the soft wind blew Hinata's hair filling Kiba's nose with her sent.

she said softly and stood with him by the big window overlooking a beautiful waterfall that cascated down into a babaling brook, the nearest town not to far away. The two stood completely still, watching the lights far yonder dancing as the night life took over. But only one of them was really watching.

"Well, here's to…" Kiba started breaking the silence and raising his champagne flute with a smile.

"…our daughters." Hinata finished for him and Kiba felt swayed for a bit, that was not was he intended to say but nevertheless repeated what she said and toasted his flute with hers. As if on cue, Atula and Maya both watched through the peepholes of the huge double doors across the room and both were smiling giddily to see their parents not biting each others heads off. Kiba noticed them and the girls both ducked as quickly as they tried to peep and watch.

"Now I know how a goldfish feels," he remarked

"O-oh my" Hinata sighed and took her eyes off him, afraid that if she stared a second longer things might get out of hand.

"You know sometime, if we're ever really alone maybe we could talk about... what happened between us? You know it's all a hazy blur to me now. It ended… so fast." Kiba said and Hinata smiled.

"It started… so fast,"

"Now that part I remember perfectly."

Trough another window a boy that looked like a young Kakashi with black hair stood next to Temera. The boy's name was Akari Hatake, Tokiko's older brother, he had on black jeans and a button up white shirt.

Akari and Temera continued to watch. "Looks like things are heating up nicely. I'd say it's safe to tell Ino and Sasuke to serve the Kare Raisu and fried rice.

They started back toward the kitchen, when Temera tripped on the rug, pulling Akari down with her. Opening their eyes, Akari was right on top of Temera, their eyes locked, a jolt flowing through both their bodies at their closeness. Akari quickly jumped up, helping Temera to her feet.

"Right. Well um, I guess we should be going now." Temera said quickly passing by him.

"So, what are we going to do about the girls?" Kiba asked sipping his champagne again, as Ino came in with the bowls of Kare Raisu. She carefully placed the bowls in front of Kiba and Hinata as she listened in on their conversation.

"W-well, I guess now that they've met, w-we can't just keep them apart. Like I-I could keep them half the year, then y-you could..."she was interrupted by Ino.

"...Guys, they can't go to two schools every year… that's nuts," she pointed out.

"I agree." Kiba shook his head momentarily forgetting that it was he and Hinata who were supposed to be talking.

"O-okay, then h-how about I-I keep them f-for a whole year, then y-you could..." she continued and Kiba tried to say something while Ino shook her head.

"Hinata, we can't do that. This is why we came up with the solution we have."

"R-really? I-I thought it was because w-we decided never to see each other again." Hinata said with an unreadable but evidently sad look.

"Not we, Hina." Kiba corrected with a small laugh as he suddenly became interested in his silverware.

"You know that part's become a bit hazy, for me too over the years..."

"You don't remember the day you packed?"

"No, that day I remember perfectly." Hinata stopped and regretfully looked at Kiba, "Did I hurt you when I threw that…that…what was it?" she asked and Kiba stared at her disbelievingly.

"It was… a suitcase," he told her and Hinata bit back a giggle that threatened to escape her.

"O-oh my s-sorry"

"So how come you never got married again? I always figured you'd be re-married by now..."

Hinata almost fell out of her chair "Me? No... no, no... no..."

"That's a lot of no's." he smirked

"I-I-I'm sorry Kiba..." Hinata bowed her head

"No, no Hinata I was just joking it's ok" Kiba tried, then there was a awkward silence. "You know, I may never be alone with you again." Kiba said leaning in, "So about that day that you packed… why'd you do it?" he asked and watched as Hinata neatly folded her hands beneath the table

"Oh Kiba, we were so young, we found out we each had tempers, we said stupid things... So I packed... Went back home with Neji and... you never came after me."

There was a Dead silence.

"I didn't know you wanted me to."

"Well, it really doesn't matter now..."she brushed it off and acted as if it wasn't a big deal. But in fact, it still was… "Let's just put on a good face for the girls, and get this show on the road..."

"Okay. Yeah. You're right. Let's get the show on the road." Kiba sighed looking down at his food and started to eat

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Back at the hotel, Hinata and Neji patiently waited at the front desk for their friends and family to come down o they could all get home. "Where is everyone?" Hinata asked with worry glancing at her older cousin.

"I just called, they're on their way down."

It didn't take long before slowly everyone made their way down until all but, Maya, Atula, Rai and Kenji remained.

"Okay, so I'll uh... send Maya back to you over Christmas." Kiba said as he and Ino joined Hinata and Neji at the front desk.

"And I'll see that Atula spends Easter with you." Hinata nodded and put on a brave face despite the crestfallen looks of the other adults with her. The elevator dinged and Kiba and Hinata looked on as Maya, Atula, Rai and Kenji stepped out. The girls were dressed in black caprices, black tank tops with identical lavender and white jackets. It was impossible to tell them apart.

"Girls what are you doing?" Kiba wondered

"Here's the deal Dad, we thought it over, and decided we were being totally ripped off." Atula stated

"Dad promised we were going to go on our camping trip... and we want to go... together."

"W-what camping trip" Hinata asked nervously

"The one we go on every summer before school starts."

"The camping trip we go on every summer before we go on missions again."

"C-come on Atula, we got to go e-everyone's waiting." Hinata pleaded

"Are you sure I'm Atula"

"W-well, y-yes of course I'm sure"

"But its kinda hard being one hundred percent positive, is it?"

"Girls, this is totally un-funny. Everyone is waiting to go." Kiba joined in with his own stern voice and both twins smiled at each other.

"Atula Please!" Hinata begged.

"Yes?" the twins answered together.

Kiba put his hands on his knees and bent in level with the girls. He looked at each of them carefully as if studying and experiment.

"This one's Maya," he said triumphantly pointing at one of the girls, "I'm positive."

"Gee I hope you're right, Dad. You wouldn't want to send the wrong kid all the way back to Suna."

"Would you?" the twins smiled mischievously at their confused parents. Kiba stood back up with a look that told the beginnings of a migraine.

"Here's our proposition: we go back to Mom's house, pack our stuff and the six of us go camping."

"T-the six of us!?" Asked a confused Hinata, tilting her head.

"Yeah It's going to be us, Dad, you, Rai, and Kenji."

"And when you bring us back, we'll tell you who's Maya – and who's Atula."

"Or... You do as we say and I take one of you back to Suna with me, whether you like or not." Kiba pointed out trying to look stern

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Kiba was dressed in a form fitting black jacket left open, and black pants with a his black headband on his forehead. He had been lugging out sleeping bags, one after another, when a pissed off Sora stormed up behind him.

"And what am I supposed to do for three days? Sit home and knit!?"

Sora yanked off her sunglasses and watched Kiba pack a bag with items.

"Well sorry Sora, we kind of have a sticky situation."

"Sticky situation what do you mean sticky situation?!" she repeated as looking over to the door of the house as Hinata came out wearing a white-lavender jacket a pair of dark jeans and hiking boots . She still wore her black headband around her neck. Sora's mouth dropped "Excuse me, what is she doing here?"

"Well um...you see that's part of the deal... The six of us all go... together." Kiba smiled sheepishly jamming his hands into his pockets.

"What are you suddenly the Brady Bunch?! This is ridic-" Sora cried out.

"H-hello... is everything a-alright"

"Well, no, as a matter of fact, it isn't. I didn't realize you were going on this little _outing,_ and to tell you the truth, I'm not so sure I am okay with it." Sora said not daring to look at Hinata.

"W-well, I agree. The ex-wife in the next sleeping bag is a-a little weird..."

"Thank you." Sora sighed

"That's why I absolutely insist that you come with us." Hinata smiled as Sora stopped cold.

Both Kiba and Sora gave her incredulous looks.

"Hina…" Kiba said knowing that whatever Hinata was planning – it won't really end up well.

"Kiba please, I-I mean I messed-up your entire weekend, it's the least I can do."

A little while later, Atula and Maya were packing up their stuff to get ready, when they noticed Hinata and Sora coming out of the house. Sora was now dressed in tight black work-out gear. She haughtily walked to the jeep calculating every step to show Hinata what 'sexy' really meant.

"Dad, what's Sora doing here?" Maya asked with a scowl.

"_Your_ mother… invited her." Kiba explained exasperatedly.

"What?!" Atula cried out and scowled too, just like her twin.

"Be," Kiba looked at Atula, "Nice," he said and looked at Maya before gathering up the rest of the supplies.

The girls look at each other, then to Rai and Kenji, as Sora walked over to Kiba. "Ok, all set? Have fun everyone." Hinata said with a smile as Kiba looked at her shocked, Sora smiled smugly and the twins looked at each other both shocked.

"Hinata, what are you doing?"

"W-well I really think you and Sora need time alone before the big day." she explained.

"Mom! Come on, that's not the plan." Atula protested from the backseat.

"Honestly, you'll have much more fun without me." Hinata smiled and Sora suddenly felt all panicky.

"Look, if you're not going... I don't have to go... Trust me, I'm not exactly a big nature girl," she said with a high pitched nervous laugh.

"But this'll be your chance to really get to know the girls... besides starting next week, they're... they're half yours." Hinata said sweetly and smiled at Sora who could only smile back. Kiba gave Hinata a mysterious grin as the four teens sighed and sat down.

"Have fun!" Hinata called out to six as they ran off. Everyone from both groups came out of the house and Ino went up beside her.

"Oh I would _pay_ **big money** to see that woman climb a mountain," she said and shook her head as Hinata gave a small giggle beside her.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was already midday and the Inuzukas plus. Kenji, Rai, and Sora haven't been able to even reach halfway of the whole trail. At the rate they're going, thanks to Sora, it would take them the whole three days to even reach the mountain. That was what Maya Inuzuka actually said when they stopped for the umpteenth time ever since they started walking.

Her and Rai were the leaders of the group of six and Maya enjoyed the camping trips she and her father took every year before class starts. Walking confidently through the rough and rugged terrain, she was a few feet ahead of Rai who was behind her. Balancing herself, she easily walked over a fallen timber and avoided the big rocks which were situated at the right side of it. Squealing in delight, she looked around and motioned to her Rai and father to hurry up.

Kiba beamed proudly at his daughter as he too easily balanced himself and walked over the timber. Sora was next and she propped herself up on a huge boulder at the left of the timber and tried to cross with a disgusted look on her face. Unfortunately, her bangs were in her line of vision and so it created a few black spots which made her miss her step and fall on her butt. The girls stifled a giggle as Kiba rushed over to help her, Kenji was next, and Atula after that.

Sora wasn't really one with Mother Nature and so she found no pleasure whatsoever in their hike. Huffing and panting, she gritted her teeth and tried not to lose face in front of her rival's children. She already planned to send Maya off to some boarding school once she and Kiba were married but with the new situation, she decided to just send the both of them. Landing splat on her buttocks, she felt exhausted, again, and decided to sit on one of the huge rocks that were laid out beside the fallen tree trunk.

"Oh… I'm gonna kill my trainer… he says I'm in such great shape!" she seethed in between pants. "I can't believe people actually do this for fun." Sora continued complaining as she rubbed her legs that were burning in pain.

"Girls, hold on, we're stopping." Kiba announced and Maya halted and tried to straighten the angry expression that was coming upon her face as her and Rai came running back towards them"Again? at this rate, it'll take three days just to get to the lake."

"Again?!" Maya couldn't contain her vexation any longer, "Dad, at this rate it'll take us three days just to get up the mountain," she complained and Kiba gave her a quelling look.

"Sorry girls, Sora isn't used to climbing and hiking... Just chill, okay?" he said in a calm voice and Maya rolled her eyes as Kiba went a few feet away to check the trail. Maya scowled as she turned back to Sora and her eye caught her sister who sat directly behind the blonde.

Behind Sora, Kenji was handing Atula large rocks as she started filling every pocket of Sora's Prada Backpack.

Maya sniggered and watched her twin while Sora finally sat up.

"Somebody hand me my Evian... I can't move." she asked and Atula looked up startled while Maya looked at her coolly but didn't move. She just stood there with her arms crossed.

"Sure." Kenji shrugged as Atula spotted a small lizard beside the Evian bottle. Picking up the small reptile, which started moving frantically as it tried to escape, she gently placed in on the bottle where, upon being raised, would be directly in front of Sora's eyes.

"Here you go." Kenji chuckled handing the bottle to the older woman.

Sora gratefully accepted the bottle and, sure enough, saw the lizard who was gazing at her steadily with its glassy beady eyes. Sora's eyes nearly crossed when she saw the lizard and as the reptile moved forward, she dropped the bottle and screamed to the mighty heavens and then jumping up and down in fright. Her face was locked into a pure look of horror and disgust as she jumped around and Kiba immediately went to her aid. Maya, Rai, Kenji and Atula watched in delight trying not to show too much of their amusement.

"Honey! You ok? What happened?" a very concerned Kiba was now cradling his fiancé who was whimpering on his shoulder. Maya wanted to gag and Atula just rolled her eyes and picked up the poor lizard after its unwanted flying lessons on a bottle.

"This little guy was on her Evian bottle." Atula giggled holding lizard upside down by it's tail.

"He won't hurt you, Sora." Kiba sighed rubbing his temples, placing Sora's back on the rock. Sora smiled and brushed herself off.

"Oh right, right, right! I know, you uh… go ahead," She waved at him to go forward, after he was out of sight she turned her head towards Atula and Kenji and was met with the lizard once again.

"G-get that thing away from me!" she cried waving her hands and Atula instinctively retracted the lizard to protect it from any more harm giving Sora a scowl.

"I hate things that crawl! Ugh, how can you touch that? Just… put it down." Sora was now slipping on the straps of her backpack.

"Ok, I'll put it down." Atula muttered and stood up. She looked below her in time to see Sora's glistening scalp and decided that the lizard could serve one more purpose.

"Girls." Kiba said startling the four, as the twins let out simultaneous 'What!?'s, "I'm going to take the lead, why don't you help Sora. Alright?" he said and started down the path.

"Sure you'll help me." Sora growled as she now stood up and staggered at the extra weight her backpack magically gained, "Right over a cliff you'll help me…" she continued to mutter.

"Not a bad idea," Maya whispered sotto to her twin who was sporting the same sneaky grin as hers.

"Yeah, see any cliffs?" she joked and Maya suddenly smiled brightly.

"Not now, up ahead. It has a nice mud bath too, at the bottom," she said and winked.

"Perfect." Atula nodded and the two followed Sora.

"Ow… my back…" Sora groaned.

"Need a hand, Sor?" Atula asked sweetly and this stopped her cold in her tracks. She slowly pivoted and walked measured steps towards them.

"Not from you, thank you. Don't think I can't see right past those angelic faces. one more trick from you two and I promise I'll make your lives miserable from the day I say I do'. Got it?" she snapped then turned back with a smug look on her face. She told Hinata's kids off!

"Got it, _Cruella_." Kenji whisperedand caused Sora to stop and pivot again.

"What'd you call me?" she asked, her face starting to redden in anger.

"Nothing. Not a thing..." Maya called out as her and Atula walked by smiling to themselves, the guys right in tow "Cruella."

"Oh, and Sor..." she said turning back, "I think there's something on your head..."

Sora glared at the twins but nonetheless, patted her hair to check. Her bejewelled hand came upon the lizard and as she let out a blood curling scream, the lizard, who was also panicking, found its way past her face and into a small cave… which turned out to be Sora's mouth. The blonde woman screamed her head off and was choked and now half of the torso of the lizard was in her mouth while the other half hung precariously outside with its tail frantically swaying and its hind legs clawing to get inside. Sora's eyes bulged in fright as the lizard's front legs grazed her tongue and emitted squeaks of panic which was echoing in the hallows of her mouth. She vigorously shook her head and managed to spit the lizard out. Coughing and spluttering, she desperately wiped off its essence with the back of her hand as Kiba rushed at her concern etched all over his handsome face.

"Are you alright?!" he asked and stopped short as he saw her now trying to scrub her tongue.

"Mhmbleheheheh!" Sora sputtered and Kiba tried not to roll his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked exasperatedly. Weezing heavily, she stomped her feet, pointing to Atula and Maya. "

"What did we do Dad? We were right behind you?" Atula said as she appeared behind Maya who leaned from the tree she and her sister were hiding behind.

"Alright… now c'mon everyone, this time, Atula, Maya you and the guys lead." Kiba said and pointed towards the trail. He let his girls trudge on away from him in order to accompany Sora.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

That night, Kiba the twins and the guys were enjoying their dinner of trout around the campfire while Sora looked at her plate in disgust. The only fish she ever ate were those that were filleted and this freshly caught slimy fished roasted on an open fire made her sick. She wrapped the provided blanket around her body tighter and clung to her phone.

"This'll hold us for a while." Kiba said putting a few more sticks of wood into the bonfire.

"You sure you don't want some trout, Mom? Is that okay, by the way, if we start calling you Mom?" Maya asked sweetly looking expectantly at Sora who was busy rubbing insect repellent on her arms.

"I think your mother would prefer if you called me Sora and no thank you, I do not eat trout... for the thousandth time. I'll wait until breakfast. What are we having?" she asked.

"Trout…" The five answered together much to the chagrin of Sora.

"C'mon, its part of the experience." Kiba cajoled and Sora beamed at him sarcastically as she slapped her leg.

"And what's the other part? Being eaten to death by mosquitoes?" she snapped, "God, you'd actually think they like this stuff!"

"What's that you're using?" Kiba asked and put down his plate, "Let me see that." Sora handed the bottle over to him and he sniffed it before putting some of it on his hand.

"Well you're sure to attract every mosquito on the mountain with this stuff. Its sugar and water." Kiba explained with a playful smile as Maya and Rai payed sly grins. Sora glared at the two, then back at the other two, hurriedly eating their trout and pretended that nothing happened.

"That's it! I'm taking one large sleeping pill and going to bed," she announced picking up two sticks before she stood up, as she went to the tent, she started whacking the sticks together and the sound reverberated in the silent night. Kiba looked around with a raised eyebrow at her queer behavior.

"Sora… what're you doing?" he asked.

"I don't want the jungle cats to…" she stopped and turned around just as the twins snorted, "There are no jungle cats up here, are there?" she asked standing to her full height, which didn't really say much, after realizing the joke's on her. Kiba tried to hide his amusement as he shook his head smiling.

"No," he mouthed and Sora put the sticks together in one hand and threw them to the side. Then she approached Kiba who was now looking at her worriedly but she planted a luscious kiss on his lips leaving him quite breathless. The twins rolled their eyes and tried not to gag.

"Goodnight." Sora said smugly and sauntered into the tent. After she left, Kiba gave a warning look at his daughters who looked back at him innocently.

"I'm telling you guys, lay off." Kiba smirked "This isn't her thing, okay? I'm not marrying her because she's Hanaka Mayona."

"Who's Hanaka Mayona?" Atula asked confused.

"Just cool it." Kiba said and went back to his trout.

Later that evening, the moon shone brightly over the lake and no sounds where heard except for the distant hooting of the owls and the slight whisper of the wind as it rustles in the quiet. the sound of a zipper softly being pulled was the only sound made, revealing four teens both girls holdinf identical looking impish grins on their beautiful faces. They looked around to see if the coast is clear and stepped out of their tent.

Tiptoeing softly, the four teens reached the tent of their desiores, and just as softly, pulled down the zipper of her tent. The twins looked at the sleeping figure of Sora Tomoe. She was stretched out in her air mattress and slept like the dead.

"I hope that one large sleeping pill worked." Atula whispered as she stared at the prone figure.

"You take that side." Maya instructed and Atula nodded as they both held one end of the air mattress. Sora snored heavily and gave no sign that she knew she was being carried off.

"Oh gosh, she's heavy!" Atula exclaimed in a whisper and thankfully, it didn't tip off either Kiba or the still slumbering Sora. Suddenly, the blonde moved and for awhile, the four were frozen on the spot but she just mumbled something incoherent and went right back to sleep.

With the guys help, the twins quietly drag the air mattress and onto the edge of the lake where they pushed her off. They watched as the water took her away into the night.

"Sweet dreams, Mommy Dearest." Atula laughed as Kenji put his arm around her shoulder shoulder and held her close, laughing at their latest trick.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

The morning was as peaceful as the evening and Sora came to terms of being wide awake when she felt a soft pecking on her neck. She smiled thinking it was Kiba giving her a good morning kiss.

"Mmm, that feels nice," she murmured.

She smiled and enjoyed the sensation for a moment before realizing that it wasn't a pair of lips that were attacking her neck. It felt more like a pencil stabbing her to death and she hurriedly opened her eyes to see a bird resting on her chest pecking away at her neck.

She started to scream a very shrill scream as she frantically waved her hands in front of her and the terrified bird flew off. Sora sat up and looked around at her surroundings then realized that she was on water in the middle of the lake and this made her screams more high-pitched than ever. Her mouth started to form words as the one person who could save her entered her mind.

_"KKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAA!"  
_

The birds in the trees all took off in flight and if the animals could talk, they'd swear that it was heard for many miles around. Even the jungle cats had a say in it.

Kiba groaned and stuck his head out of his tent half-asleep, only to see his fiancé standing over her air mattress and attempting to balance herself and thrashing wildly when all of a sudden, she fell backwards into the water with a loud splash.

"Oh man…" he muttered.

Glancing at his daughter's tent, Rai, Kenji, Maya and Atula quickly peeked their own heads out, faces full of amusment at Sora's splashing back to the shore, before they noticed him and their amusement turned amusment grave.

Sora stormed over to him past the campfire and she was dripping wet and angry. She kicked a coffee pot out of the way as Kiba got out of the tent to face her.

"What's going on?" he asked and Sora's eyes popped madly.

"Here's what's going on… buddy! The day we get married is the day I ship those brats off to Kenigone. Get the picture? It's me or them. Take your pick," she snarled into his face.

"Them," he answered the fuming Sora, simply.

"Excuse me?"

"T-H-E-M, them," he leaned in, "Get the picture?" he asked. Sora, in her sheer frustration and anger only managed another shrill scream as she stomped her foot in aggravation and felt her face tense up and lock into another horrid look as the twins laughed and high-fived before each high-fiving the guys.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Hinata was reading her favorite books when she heard a the sound of footsteps in the distance. Realizing it must be Kiba, she hurriedly went out and sure enough, there was Kiba, her daughters the boys, and no Sora.

"Hello, back so soon?" she called out, "Did you have fun?"

"Not exactly." Atula answered her, shouldering her bag.

"You wouldn't?" Hinata asked curiously as she watched them unload their things from the other bags.

"We've been punished to the end of the century." Atula answered.

"Starting now… Go." Kiba said much to the shock of Hinata and she looked over to Kenji and Rai and poined to the staircas. "That goes for you too."

"Where's Sora?" she asked although she had a feeling that she knew.

"We played a couple of harmless tricks on her and she kinda freaked out a little." Atula explained nonchalantly.

"A little?" Kiba blurted and held up a ring at Hinata's face, "She threw this at my head. At least it's smaller than a suitcase."."

"Oh, my I'm so sorry Kiba... This is all my fault. If I hadn't suggested she go..."

"...Tricked, tricked would be more like it." he chuckled "Like mother, like daughters..."

"I'm really sorry, Kiba." Hinata sighed

"We are too, Dad." Maya added and her sister nodded.

"Yeah, really." Atula said sincerely.

"Up to your room…now." Kiba said sternly and looked pointedly at his daughters who glumly went inside the house, followed closely bye the guys. "I gotta remember to thank them one day," he said when they were out of earshot. Hinata gave him a curious look then a smile.

"You're relieved?

Not wanting to talk about it Kiba tried to change the subject. "I'm also starving... Is anyone around?"

"No. Kakashi Anko, Choji, and Tokiko went home, Shikaru and Kimi went to the park, Gaara and Matsuri are wondering the town, Temera, Akira, Toshiro, and Shina went on a double date, Shino and Hana are out with the dogs, Neji, and Tenten, are... well I don't actually know where they are. Shikamaru and Temari are sleeping, and last, but not least, Ino and Sasuke went off on a picnic around noon... yesterday."

"Wow..." Kiba laughed with that cute boyish grin that made his eyes twinkle, "Well then, what do you say. I whip us up something to eat."

"You know how to cook now?" She looked shell shocked

"Of course, I know how to cook... I can make pasta... and pasta... and uh…"

"Hmm… pasta sounds good."

"Pasta it is!"

Hinata giggled as she followed Kiba into the kitchen.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

Atula and Maya were held up in Atula's room, on her bed, playing a mean game of poker with Hana, Akamaru and Crystal sprawled out around them, when Kiba came up. He checked himself in the mirror, making sure that he didn't look bad in his grey T-shirt and black jeans. "Hey Dad!"

"Well, don't you look so nice!" Atula giggled.

"Where ya going?" Maya asked excitedly but her father just grabbed the doorknob smile never leaving his face.

"Good night, Ladies!" Kiba he said in a singsong voice before pulling the door close and walked down to see Hinata setting the table. "Smells good in here."

"Really? I'm just boiling water. But then again you do have a excellent sense of smell"

"Oh. Then it must be you... Follow me..."

He grabbed her hand quickly exiting the house. They travled down the cobble path of the park, down the street, until they came across The Inuzuka Hosehold. Kiba gave a peek around before opening the door and making his way down the darkened hallway to cellar doors.

"Stay quiet, my mo would kill me if she found out I just snuck in here, even if I used to live here."

"Oh wow!" Hinata mumbled upon enter, it wasn't just any normal cellar. The place was stone-walled and lit by iron chandelier candleholders with real candles, bottles lined up on the shelves It seems that there was no electricity in the place and felt very medieval.

"This is where I kept my private stash. Did you know I used to collect wine?"

"Oh really now?"

"Yeah, I'm a man of many interests… Come on lets go."

Hinata giggled but nevertheless and followed him into another smaller, and more cozy room, Kiba took out two wine glasses.

"So what are you in the mood for, red or white?"

"I think red."

Kiba led her to one of the shelves and took out a bottle holding it out in front of her. "This… is a 1921 Burgundy." Kiba explained dramatically tapping the bottle proudly, "They say the rain that year made this the best Burgundy ever harvested." Hinata looked at the bottle appreciatively and she smiled. Kiba was really at home with his wines, she recalled, during their time together. He loved it more than basketball and more than acting.

"Now you will appreciate this." Kiba said and asked her to follow him to an old cabinet. He opened it and Hinata saw five dusty bottles on the 7-rack display. Two bottles were at the very end while the other three were arranged in the middle with one empty rack space at either side. Kiba picked up a dusty bottle on the right of the middle and biggest bottle of the group. It had a pink label which read: Vi Day 1945.

"Yeah, I love this stuff... I have some more at my house in Suna" He pulled out yet another bottle

"This is the same wine my parents served at their wedding... I think my sister was conceived off this baby." Kiba said and put the bottle back smiling. Then he picked up the bottle on the left.

"What's this one? Where dreams have no end... 1998." Hinata asked turning the bottle in her hands.

"That one actually took me a long time, to track down." Kiba explained looking at her expectedly.

"Why? Where's it from?" Hinata asked looking up curiously.

"It's the wine… we drank at our wedding." Kiba explained with a small smile,

Hinata became misty-eyed at his words and she fought back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. Although he didn't say it outright she could feel that he still loved her. Through his actions and casual words, she could still feel the affection, the care, the love… and the longing.

"I-it is?

"Yea"

"C-can we open one?"

"You're the only one I'd drink it with..." Kiba pulled the bottle out of her hands. "I got that bottle right before we split up I was going to give it to you for your birthday... but we ended up having that fight, and I never had the chance... and... now I have every bottle ever made."

Hinata stood in shock. There it was again, his subtle confessions. She couldn't move and now her heart was beating very fast. Being with Kiba was like being in heaven and she'd rather be there than elsewhere. Kiba blew the dust off the bottle and Hinata bowed her head as small tears escaped.

"You ok?" she heard him ask looking at her in worry.

Y-yea, just got a little dust in my eye..." Hinata replied after wiping the tears.

"You know, I think I've told you this before but... You sound better when you don't stutter" He gave her a sincere smile.

"O-oh I'm sorry I don't mean to." She smiled back up and was once again lost in Kiba's eyes.

"You don't always have to be so strong, Hinata."

"Oh, but Kiba I do, actually..."

The distance between their faces came closer and closer. Hinata closed her eyes for the anticipated kiss as Kiba watched her face drew nearer. Their lips were millimetres apart when they heard a the sound of the front door slam shut. His mother's voice rining through bother their ears. from the outside and both looked towards the door.

"I think your mom's home." Hinata whispered, stepping backwards.

"Yeah, we should probably get going before she sees us." Kiba gave Hinata a sad smile. She walked passed him and he clutched the bottle of wine tightly before returning it in its place – missing its long awaited chance.

=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=

It was gloomy. The townhouse looked desolate under the torment of the nimbus clouds and it gave a cold atmosphere, not just literally. Kiba was hugging Atula tightly and she looked up at him with hopeful eyes trying to convey the message that she didn't want to go. They both looked around to see Hinata and Maya hugging tightly. Hinata caressed her daughter's face and smiled at her.

"Take care of yourself." Maya whispered to Atula, giving her one last hug.

"You too." They looked back at their parents worridley. Watching their mother nod and tried not looking at their father directly, before he leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

After one last goodbye Kiba and everyone took off in the direction to Suna.

The sky was dark, and the streets were empty as Kiba and Maya entered the house dropping their bags by the front door. Everyone else already gone back home, to their own lives.

"Hey Akamaru, lets go outside" Kiba asked petting his best friend on the head, Maya's form dissapearing up the stairs.

Kiba and Akamaru walk to the back yard, when they saw a young girl sitting near the pool.

"Hey little girl..." Kiba called as she turned her head and saw that it was... Atula

"Hi, Dad. Did you know there was a short cut that gets you here in half the time?"

"Yeah…I've…I've heard that." Kiba stammered, still in shock. Maya went into the study after convincing herself that she was delusional and homesick to have heard her sister's voice.

"What're you doing here?" she asked Maya excitedly.

"Well it took us around thirty seconds after you left to realize we didn't want to lose you again."

"What do you mean we?" Kiba was bewildered and he took a step toward his daughter whose gaze was somewhere else.

"We." Hinata agreed, stepping from behind a tree "Kiba I made the mistake of leaving you and not coming back, I'm not going to do it again... no matter how strong we are"

They stood there frozen, their eyes locked on each other. Hinata felt her knees wobbling as she tried to keep herself upright tears streaking down her cheecks.

"We actually did it!" Maya said rushing to a equally giddy Atula.

"It's unbelievable."

Fireworks lighted up the night sky and as Kiba and Hinata looked lovingly at one another before saying 'I do. Everyone cheered as bride and groom danced the night away.

"Ok everyone, get in a big group and smile" Lee yelled as he got ready to take a picture of Hinata next to Kiba with Atula and Maya in front.

...While ...Ino, Sasuke, Kimiko, Kenji, Temera, Shikaru, Temari, Shikamaru, Rai, Garra, Matsuri, Tokiko, Kiyoshi, Toshiro, Shina, Akari, Shino, Hana, Tenten, Neji, Choji, Kakashi, Anko, and Kankuro, stood behind them, all smiling at the new and much deserved happy family.

Lee took the picture with a big smile and wished them a happy life together.

The end

...


End file.
